Summary of Research for Storytelling in Technical Communication

Overview

Storytelling can play a significant role in how we engage with information. It can make content more approachable and more digestible. Storytelling can be more pronounced in works through short anecdotes or personal interviews, or it can be more subtle by offering a well understood organizational format. Storytelling can be more in line with how people understand the world and process information. Barker and Grower (20120) put is as “The strengths of storytelling as a communication method, recognizing all humans as storytellers with the ability to send and receive messages that establish a value-laden reality, establishes a common ground among all participants and provides a faster method of establishing a social relationship.” (pg. o9).

Role in Technical Writing

Historically the use of storytelling has been dismissed by the broader technical writing community, with preference given to data and studies as the most accurate way to view things. This has shifted some over time, allowing for a more nuanced look at what the use of story could contribute. Small (2017) wrote “Stories are the data used for making sense of the past and predicting the future. They underpin our individual and group identities through articulating shared experience; they are the foundation from which we make predictions, both good and bad, about others; and they support the logics we apply to complex situations.” (pg. 47). If storytelling is a core aspect of a group or culture, incorporating it into technical writing could open doors. To do this requires moving past the idea that data alone is the best way to create understanding.

Bridging Divides

Technical writing exists on a variety of platforms and caters to a diverse audience. This can create complexities for writers working to meet a variety of demands. Since the use of storytelling is present globally, it can serve as a starting point for writers in many situations. Barker and Grower put it as, “The storytelling method of communication seems to foster a timely and symbiotic cognitive and affective understanding among all organizational participants, regardless of the level of diversity. By establishing this swift communication channel, participants are more likely to act and further communicate in ways that benefit the organization and establish a firm basis of organizational learning. This improved learning will help increase corporate culture understanding, cohesion among team members, and quality relationships among both internal and external members.” (pg. 306). Taking a more personal approach to communication can help strengthen business relationships and improve the communication that is occurring.

As the world becomes more interconnected, and the platforms where these connections multiply, common threads like storytelling become more critical. Nevertheless, like any tool available to a communicator, it must be used correctly. In the same article by Barker and Grower (2010) they stress the specificity needed in this approach “Careful preparation and consideration of the audience and purpose of the story will lead to developing an effective narrative…” (pg.309). In properly folding the use of story into technical communication, one has to be aware of whom they are communicating with and their specific goals. This will vary depending on the setting and the medium.

Industry Application

The shape a story takes will vary based on the audience. Berry and Nelson (2009) focus on using storytelling in a business setting, specifically in presentations. They found that the traditional PowerPoint fails to engage with an audience properly, providing too many details that level the product unfocused and lacking (pg. 2). They employed the techniques from the 'Golden Triangle' to create this new approach using narrative techniques to guide information. Figure 1 (pg.4) is an illustration of this concept.

Figures like the 'Golden Triangle' are industry specific, but it shows the flexibility how one can use storytelling. Teaching professionals how to use this strategy and using it in their presentations resulted in some success."Storytelling has been cited by staff as key to communicating ideas, building consensus, and improving sponsor relationships. For example, the storytelling process was applied to a particularly difficult technical program that had a history of missing the mark with a broad group of stakeholders. After applying the storytelling process to the presentation, attendees commented that it was "the best story the program office has ever told." (pg.8). The shape a story takes will vary based on who is mean to hear it. Using storytelling in this way does not take away any of the truth that one might find in data, it merely provides a better means of using that information.

Teaching Storytelling

In order to implement this technique, it needs to be taught. Moore (13), whose paper has a focus on policy writing, encourages their students to focus on the “place, purpose, and people” (pg.6) when crafting text. This method is in figure 2 from the original Moore 2013 text below.

Using this approach, students gain a more nuanced view of the material they are dealing with. The knowledge gained through this process can bring more context to data and refocus the work on the people who will be most impacted by it. This is a way to incorporate story into the research or preparation aspect of text. Using storytelling in this earlier phase can give the writer a starting place for their project. Having an early presence can be great for technical communication pieces that have to follow strict formats, like a piece of written policy. While this exercises is for use in a specific field, it shows that storytelling has a place in technical writing.

Introduction to Storytelling in Technical Communication

References for Storytelling in Technical Communication

This page was created by Abbie Amundsen