HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book is meant to be read from cover to cover. It’s short and highly scannable, so don’t be intimidated. Each chapter builds on the last, introducing concepts and then expanding on how to apply what you’ve learned to your own practice. This book will also work as a reference after you’ve read it. The diagrams and illustrations provide you with scannable, short-hand versions of the concepts so that you can go back and jog your memory when needed. So grab a comfy chair and blanket or get comfy on your next flight, sit back, and enjoy. Then keep this book handy for the future because it will likely change the way you work.

Who Should Read This Book?

This book is for anyone who wants to engage an audience by creating things that people want to use, use often, and recommend to others. “Things” can include websites, software, apps, digital or non-digital, for-profit or non-profit services, or even physical goods. I’ll collectively call those “things” products throughout this book. Whether you are an entrepreneur, designer, product or account manager, content strategist, communications or marketing professional, student, teacher, or engineer, chances are you are someone who can use story and its underlying structure and mechanics to make better and more successful products.

What’s in This Book?

There are eight chapters in this book grouped into three areas:

• Chapters 1 and 2 discuss how story works and how you can use it to engage your audience not by telling stories, but by creating
stories.

• Chapters 3–5 discuss how story flows through different types of products in different contexts and customer lifecycle journey stages.

• Chapters 6–8 delve into how to uncover, improve, and use your stories both strategically and tactically.

What Comes with This Book?

This book’s companion website (rosenfeldmedia.com/books/storymapping) contains a blog and additional content. The book’s diagrams and other illustrations are available under a Creative Commons license (when possible) for you to download and include in your own presentations. You can find these on Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/rosenfeldmedia/sets/.