Neural Coupling and Storytelling with Lanny Geffen OVERVIEW How Designers Use Storytelling to Create Infectious Ideas From the beginning, storytellers have been able to lead people on incredible journeys beyond the here and now. By inspiring imagination and evoking emotion, storytellers catalyze ideas and persuade innovation. In this session, attendees will discover the art and utility of great storytelling from Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have A Dream” to the great innovators disrupting Silicon Valley, and experience how storytelling can reshape the conversation and lead to new outcomes. Presented at FITC Toronto 2014 on April 27-29, 2014 More info at www.FITC.ca

1. By: Lanny Geffen, Vice President UX & Design, Digiflare
Neural Coupling a.k.a.
Storytelling
Follow me: @lgeffen

2. I am a designer…
Part I

3. Most people think…
http://goo.gl/Fe83lW

4. Empathy
Intent
Experience

6. Richie Parker

7. Richie Parker

9. Empathy

10. Intent

11. Experience

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

13. Intent

16. “An incredible sense
of freedom”

18. Empathy

19. Intent

20. Experience

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

22. The power of story
Part II

24. Maasai

25. Aristotle

26. Beginning Middle End
Pity Fear Catharsis

27. Phenethylamine
(PEA)

30. Brain Hack
Part III

31. The Story Telling API

32. Dr. Paul Zak
Neuroeconomist

33. http://youtu.be/DHeqQAKHh3M

35. 2 Primary emotions were elicited:
Distress + Empathy

36. What do you feel after the story ?
?

37. Cortisol
(focuses our attention)

38. Oxytocin
(care, connection, empathy)

39. Those who produced
Oxytocin & Cortisol
gave generously

40. Could they predict who
would give money?

41. Ran the experiment
again, track distress and
empathy response…

42. Theory of Mind!
(understanding what
others are doing)
Oxytocin Areas!
(make us feel empathy)

43. 80% Accuracy
Who would donate money

44. The amount of Oxytocin released
predicted how much money
people would share with a
stranger or charity.

45. Only some stories
succeeded

46. Gustav Freytag
Playwright / Scholar

47. Exposition
“Freytag Pyramid”
Rising
ActionInciting Incident
Falling
Action
Climax
Dénouement
Resolution

48. Universal Story Structure

49. Stories [that follow the Universal
Story Structure] are powerful and
actually change the way our brains
work, and our brain chemistry

50. Telling Your Story
Part IV

51. Nancy Duarte
Presentation Designer

52. Storytelling Triangle
Story
AudienceStoryteller

54. What is
What
could be
What is
What
could be
What is
What
could be
What is
New bliss
(new reality)
Orators Story Pattern

55. August 28, 1963
from the Lincoln Memorial on the Mall, in Washington
DC during the 'March on Washington'

56. Martin Luther King Jr.
American Civil Rights Leader

57. Summarize the Hack
CONCKUSION

58. Use the tools of design:
empathy, intent, experience to
understand your audience.

59. Be brave

60. Use the universal story structure to
release oxytocin & cortisone

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

62. Ignite your ideas

63. Change the world…
(just a little bit)

64. Thank You
Follow me on Twitter
@lgeffen