By: Lanny Geffen, Vice President UX & Design, Digiflare

Neural Coupling a.k.a.

Storytelling

Follow me: @lgeffen

I am a designer…Part I

Most people think…

http://goo.gl/Fe83lW

Empathy

Intent

Experience

Richie Parker

Richie Parker

Empathy

Intent

Experience

“There were always things around the house that made it so I didn’t need to ask for someone’s help.”

Intent

“An incredible sense of freedom”

Empathy

Intent

Experience

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

The power of storyPart II

Maasai

Aristotle

Beginning Middle End

Pity Fear Catharsis

Phenethylamine(PEA)

Brain HackPart III

The Story Telling API

Dr. Paul Zak Neuroeconomist

http://youtu.be/DHeqQAKHh3M

2 Primary emotions were elicited:

Distress + Empathy

What do you feel after the story ?

?

Cortisol(focuses our attention)

Oxytocin(care, connection, empathy)

Those who produced Oxytocin & Cortisol

gave generously

Could they predict who would give money?

Ran the experiment again, track distress and

empathy response…

Theory of Mind!(understanding what

others are doing)

Oxytocin Areas!(make us feel empathy)

80% Accuracy Who would donate money

The amount of Oxytocin released predicted how much money people would share with a

stranger or charity.

Only some stories succeeded

Gustav Freytag Playwright / Scholar

Exposition

“Freytag Pyramid”

Rising Acti

on

Inciting Incident

Falling Action

Climax

Dénouement

Resolution

Universal Story Structure

Stories [that follow the Universal Story Structure] are powerful and

actually change the way our brains work, and our brain chemistry

Telling Your StoryPart IV

Nancy Duarte Presentation Designer

Storytelling Triangle

Story

Audience Storyteller

What is

What could be

What is

What could be

What is

What could be

What is

New bliss (new reality)

Orators Story Pattern

August 28, 1963 from the Lincoln Memorial on the Mall, in Washington

DC during the 'March on Washington'

Martin Luther King Jr. American Civil Rights Leader

Summarize the HackCONCKUSION

Use the tools of design: empathy, intent, experience to

understand your audience.

Be brave

Use the universal story structure to release oxytocin & cortisone

Involve your audience in the story: It has to become their story

Ignite your ideas

Change the world… (just a little bit)

Thank YouFollow me on Twitter

@lgeffen