Reflection​ ​:​ ​Storytelling

Matteo Sanna

Challenge

I​ ​work​ ​for​ ​a​ ​large​ ​global​ ​software​ ​company,​ ​we​ ​sell​ ​many​ ​different​ ​solutions​ ​and​ ​products​ ​and  we​ ​have​ ​many​ ​competitors​ ​that​ ​also​ ​sell​ ​software​ ​in​ ​our​ ​space.​ ​ ​One​ ​of​ ​our​ ​challenges​ ​is  breaking​ ​though​ ​all​ ​of​ ​the​ ​noise​ ​in​ ​the​ ​market​ ​and​ ​to​ ​differentiate​ ​our​ ​offering​ ​from​ ​our  competitors​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​highlight​ ​the​ ​true​ ​value​ ​of​ ​our​ ​products​ ​to​ ​our​ ​prospects.     My​ ​colleagues​ ​and​ ​I​ ​often​ ​get​ ​the​ ​opportunity​ ​to​ ​meet​ ​with​ ​a​ ​prospect.​ ​ ​The​ ​real​ ​challenge​ ​is  ensuring​ ​the​ ​presentation​ ​resonates​ ​with​ ​the​ ​prospect,​ ​leaving​ ​them​ ​with​ ​no​ ​doubt​ ​that​ ​my  company​ ​and​ ​I​ ​understand​ ​their​ ​industry​ ​and​ ​unique​ ​business​ ​challenges​ ​and​ ​have​ ​a​ ​valuable  solution​ ​that​ ​addresses​ ​them.

Selection

One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Design​ ​Thinking​ ​tools​ ​that​ ​I​ ​used​ ​to​ ​help​ ​overcome​ ​this​ ​challenge​ ​is​ ​Storytelling​ ​from  Week​ ​2​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Design​ ​Thinking​ ​course.​ ​ ​Storytelling​ ​is​ ​a​ ​very​ ​effective​ ​way​ ​to​ ​convey​ ​an​ ​idea​ ​or  vision​ ​by​ ​connecting​ ​to​ ​the​ ​emotions,​ ​the​ ​characters​ ​and​ ​the​ ​values​ ​of​ ​the​ ​people​ ​that​ ​you​ ​are  trying​ ​to​ ​influence​ ​or​ ​inspire.    I​ ​decided​ ​to​ ​use​ ​Storytelling​ ​and​ ​apply​ ​it​ ​to​ ​the​ ​challenge​ ​described​ ​above,​ ​and​ ​in​ ​particular,​ ​to​ ​a  sales​ ​opportunity​ ​that​ ​I​ ​was​ ​working​ ​with​ ​a​ ​new​ ​prospect​ ​called​ ​iDoctor.​ ​ ​ ​iDoctor​ ​were​ ​looking​ ​to  us​ ​for​ ​a​ ​technology​ ​solution​ ​to​ ​help​ ​bring​ ​their​ ​new​ ​product/service​ ​to​ ​market.​ ​ ​iDoctor​ ​is​ ​a  company​ ​that​ ​provides​ ​online,​ ​live​ ​video​ ​doctor​ ​consultations​ ​for​ ​patients​ ​who​ ​would​ ​prefer​ ​to​ ​to  have​ ​the​ ​consultation​ ​in​ ​the​ ​comfort​ ​of​ ​their​ ​own​ ​home.    I​ ​was​ ​given​ ​a​ ​two​ ​hour​ ​time​ ​slot​ ​to​ ​present​ ​our​ ​solution​ ​recommendations​ ​to​ ​iDoctor​ ​and​ ​after  doing​ ​deep​ ​discovery​ ​on​ ​iDoctor’s​ ​business​ ​and​ ​their​ ​market,​ ​I​ ​learned​ ​that​ ​they​ ​are​ ​a​ ​very  customer​ ​centric​ ​company​ ​(their​ ​customers​ ​being​ ​both​ ​patients​ ​and​ ​doctors).​ ​ ​This​ ​is​ ​the​ ​main  reason​ ​I​ ​selected​ ​Storytelling​ ​and​ ​I​ ​began​ ​to​ ​plan​ ​how​ ​I​ ​would​ ​present​ ​my​ ​vision​ ​for​ ​iDoctor​ ​by  telling​ ​a​ ​compelling​ ​story​ ​from​ ​an​ ​unwell​ ​patient’s​ ​point​ ​of​ ​view.

Application

When​ ​preparing​ ​for​ ​the​ ​presentation,​ ​I​ ​took​ ​a​ ​step​ ​back​ ​and​ ​really​ ​tried​ ​to​ ​understand​ ​what  iDoctor​ ​was​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​achieve​ ​and​ ​thought​ ​about​ ​what​ ​their​ ​perfect​ ​engagement​ ​with​ ​a​ ​patient  looked​ ​like.​ ​ ​Then​ ​I​ ​looked​ ​at​ ​how​ ​our​ ​technology​ ​would​ ​support​ ​them​ ​reaching​ ​that​ ​perfection.     It​ ​was​ ​then​ ​time​ ​to​ ​build​ ​a​ ​compelling​ ​story​ ​so​ ​I​ ​decided​ ​on​ ​the​ ​main​ ​building​ ​blocks​ ​of​ ​the  iDoctor​ ​patient​ ​story:    Setting:​ ​Introduce​ ​the​ ​main​ ​character,​ ​Sarah​ ​who​ ​is​ ​a​ ​busy​ ​mum​ ​with​ ​3​ ​kids​ ​under​ ​6.  Struggle:​ ​Sarah​ ​is​ ​unwell​ ​but​ ​it​ ​is​ ​always​ ​difficult​ ​to​ ​pack​ ​all​ ​the​ ​kids​ ​into​ ​the​ ​car​ ​and​ ​drag​ ​them  off​ ​to​ ​the​ ​doctors​ ​office.​ ​ ​There​ ​has​ ​to​ ​be​ ​another​ ​way!  Turning​ ​point:​ ​Sarah​ ​discovers​ ​iDoctor,​ ​a​ ​full​ ​circle​ ​wellness​ ​app​ ​that​ ​allows​ ​her​ ​to​ ​connect  with​ ​a​ ​live​ ​doctor​ ​from​ ​the​ ​comfort​ ​of​ ​her​ ​home.   Resolution:​ ​Sarah​ ​successfully​ ​connects​ ​with​ ​a​ ​doctor,​ ​is​ ​easily​ ​diagnosed​ ​and​ ​prescribed  medication​ ​which​ ​is​ ​promptly​ ​delivered​ ​to​ ​her​ ​within​ ​the​ ​hour.​ ​ ​Sarah​ ​is​ ​absolutely​ ​thrilled​ ​and  recommends​ ​iDoctor​ ​to​ ​all​ ​of​ ​her​ ​friends.    Now​ ​that​ ​I​ ​had​ ​the​ ​bones​ ​of​ ​the​ ​storey,​ ​I​ ​fleshed​ ​out​ ​the​ ​detail​ ​and​ ​used​ ​visualisation​ ​to  enhance​ ​the​ ​story​ ​and​ ​show​ ​examples​ ​of​ ​every​ ​important​ ​touchpoint​ ​on​ ​Mary’s​ ​journey.

Insight

I​ ​found​ ​that​ ​using​ ​Storytelling​ ​in​ ​the​ ​final​ ​presentation​ ​to​ ​iDoctor​ ​was​ ​a​ ​very​ ​effective​ ​way​ ​for​ ​us  to​ ​convey​ ​the​ ​technology​ ​solution​ ​and​ ​vision​ ​for​ ​the​ ​business​ ​in​ ​a​ ​way​ ​that​ ​was​ ​easy​ ​for​ ​them​ ​to  absorb,​ ​understand​ ​and​ ​remember.    Using​ ​a​ ​design​ ​thinking​ ​approach​ ​to​ ​this​ ​problem​ ​and​ ​applying​ ​Storytelling​ ​allowed​ ​me​ ​to​ ​really  drill​ ​down​ ​on​ ​what​ ​was​ ​most​ ​important​ ​to​ ​iDoctor​ ​and​ ​that​ ​was​ ​their​ ​patient’s​ ​well​ ​being.​ ​ ​It  challenged​ ​me​ ​to​ ​look​ ​at​ ​it​ ​iDoctor’s​ ​offering​ ​from​ ​the​ ​point​ ​of​ ​view​ ​of​ ​a​ ​real​ ​patient​ ​and​ ​tell​ ​a  great​ ​story​ ​about​ ​how​ ​that​ ​patient​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to​ ​find​ ​and​ ​engage​ ​iDoctor​ ​and​ ​have​ ​a​ ​great,  frictionless​ ​experience.​ ​ ​Throughout​ ​the​ ​story​ ​I​ ​was​ ​able​ ​to​ ​dot​ ​in​ ​ways​ ​our​ ​technology​ ​could  help​ ​support​ ​the​ ​vision​ ​that​ ​I​ ​was​ ​presenting​ ​but​ ​only​ ​when​ ​it​ ​enhanced​ ​the​ ​patients’​ ​or​ ​the  doctors’​ ​experience.

Approach

Based​ ​on​ ​outcome​ ​of​ ​this​ ​presentation,​ ​I​ ​will​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​use​ ​Storytelling​ ​supported​ ​by  Visualisation​ ​in​ ​these​ ​types​ ​of​ ​situations.​ ​ ​This​ ​is​ ​because​ ​I​ ​found​ ​it​ ​to​ ​be​ ​a​ ​very​ ​compelling​ ​way  to​ ​share​ ​a​ ​vision​ ​with​ ​a​ ​prospect.​ ​ ​Storytelling​ ​makes​ ​an​ ​emotional​ ​connection​ ​with​ ​the​ ​audience  and​ ​makes​ ​ideas​ ​very​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​consume,​ ​understand​ ​and​ ​remember.​ ​ ​The​ ​feedback​ ​I​ ​received  from​ ​iDoctor​ ​after​ ​the​ ​presentation​ ​confirms​ ​all​ ​of​ ​this:    “In​ ​my​ ​35​ ​years,​ ​this​ ​was​ ​the​ ​best​ ​presentation​ ​I​ ​have​ ​seen.​ ​You​ ​understand​ ​my​ ​business,​ ​its  challenges,​ ​and​ ​have​ ​shown​ ​a​ ​how​ ​you​ ​will​ ​support​ ​us​ ​as​ ​we​ ​take​ ​the​ ​business​ ​forward”.

