The Design of Compelling Narratives

Author

Miasha K. Vicino

Degree Type

Honors Capstone Project

Date of Submission

Spring 5-1-2014

Capstone Advisor

Associate Professor Denise Heckman

Honors Reader

Linda Hartsock

Capstone Major

Design

Capstone College

Visual and Performing Arts

Audio/Visual Component

no

Capstone Prize Winner

no

Won Capstone Funding

no

Honors Categories

Creative

Subject Categories

Industrial and Product Design | Interactive Arts | Interdisciplinary Arts and Media

Abstract

While storytelling is an essential form of communication and has been used to help humans make sense of the world and prepare for the future for thousands of years, compelling narratives are designed storytelling systems that encourage the audience to get involved and make active thought and behavioral change. Another significant aspect of compelling narrative design is that they are not resolute. While stories have definite endings, the end of a compelling narrative should be a “call to action”, an opportunity to engage further and invest time, effort, or aid back into the narrative’s cause. The challenge for designers is how can we use this design process to leverage the educational, entertaining, and empathic nature of storytelling to change behavior and prompt meaningful interactions?

Prezolution is a political campaign game, set in America in the year 2040, which encourages non-partisan political discussion and problem solving. In the game, the traditional two-party system has disappeared, leaving and opportunity for much more diverse candidates and their ideas to emerge in order to help solve more complex issues than we have ever faced as a country before. The extension of the board game to the online platform changes the experience from an individual story into a larger compelling narrative system. When we can bring together diverse audiences to share their values, ideas, and visions for our future, we may find common goals that unite us and inspire active investment in shaping our future together.

Recommended Citation

Vicino, Miasha K., "The Design of Compelling Narratives" (2014). Honors Capstone Projects - All. 739.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/739

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.