Michele Hutchison

Personal design ethos

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Digital Storytelling as a design asset

Image retrieved from the internet via UX for the Masses (2025) at https://www.uxforthemasses.com/storytelling/

This Spring 2025 semester at the University of North Texas, I enrolled in INFO 5442: Digital Storytelling, one of the final elective courses for my Master of Arts in Interaction Design program. This week, I reflected on key takeaways from the course readings and discussions and began making connections to apply digital storytelling techniques and concepts in my professional life.

What are two things from your course-related readings and review of which you made particular note?

Key insight one:

The first aspect that stood out was the intersection of storytelling in interaction design and information science principles. By incorporating methods from digital storytelling combined with design principles to communicate, teach, and share information, I can begin to apply new techniques in crafting user narratives.

For example, in UX design, we often use design artifacts to represent user groups and journeys to communicate research findings or design decisions. This week has made me consider how I might use artifacts like personas or empathy maps in addition to images, sound, and video clips in digital story creation, helping the viewer better relate, creating more profound empathy. 

Key insight two:

The second aspect that stood out was the first course goal: “To develop an understanding of the psychological impact of communicating through story sharing and storytelling” (Mumah, n.d.). This resonated with me because, through my studies in design, I have learned to consider the long-term impacts of the designs we create. Just as design solutions can have unintended consequences, the stories we craft—particularly those representing real users—can influence perceptions in ways we may not anticipate.

For example, portraying user narratives that oversimplify experiences or exclude certain user groups could inadvertently lead to harmful stereotypes or biases. This course goal reminds me to approach digital storytelling carefully and ensure my narratives are balanced, ethical, and inclusive.

What stood out to you as you read through the introductory content on digital storytelling? 

As I read through the introductory content on digital storytelling, one quote stood out to me the most: “…digital storytelling combines the best of two worlds: the ‘new world’ of digitised video, photography and art, and the ‘old world’ of telling stories” (University of Wollongong, n.d.). This insight immediately connected to my experiences watching the History Channel as a child and now as an adult. History was my favorite subject in school, and I’ve always been captivated by how stories bring the past to life. Reflecting on this quote, I realized that many of the History Channel programs I loved likely used the same principles of digital storytelling—blending visuals, text, and audio to craft compelling narratives.

This combination of ‘old world’ storytelling with modern digital tools is a powerful approach because it conveys information and evokes emotion, engaging viewers on multiple levels. For example, shows like Ancient Aliens effectively use this method to immerse audiences in the story and use storytelling techniques to persuade them to believe in theoretical concepts. 

Which of the StoryCenter digital storytelling components appealed to you the most and why?

The StoryCenter component that appeals to me the most is Personal or First-Person Voice. This concept stands out because it aligns closely with my approach as an empathic-driven designer. The idea that “stories are personal reflections on a subject” (Lambert, 2018, p. 37) mirrors how I approach my work—not by centering designs based on personal opinions but rather by understanding and reflecting on the users’ unique experiences, challenges, and perspectives. My role often involves crafting narratives to help others, especially non-designers, understand varying user perspectives to build empathy for their wants and needs.

The second part of the definition, “conveying emotion in that the subject has deep meaning” (Lambert, 2018, p. 37), also resonated with me. Emotional experiences are critical in shaping how users perceive and interact with a product or service. For instance, I am often tasked with designing experiences that elicit trust, satisfaction, and delight. By applying the principles of storytelling, I can learn to create deeper emotional connections within my designs.

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Digital StorytellingMichele Hutchison