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Design storyboards

Design storyboards

The purpose of Design Storyboards is to eliminate common causes of ineffective meetings by ensuring every session is intentionally structured. This Liberating Structure helps:
  • Clarify the meeting’s purpose by aligning it with appropriate microstructures.
  • Identify who needs to be involved for successful outcomes.
  • Define all key design elements, including invitations, space, materials, participation formats, group configurations, facilitation roles, and time allocations.
  • Prevent poorly planned meetings, replacing them with thoughtfully designed ones.
  • Uncover hidden sources of innovation by making tacit knowledge visible through collaborative design.
In short, storyboards turn meeting planning into a creative, purposeful process that leads to better engagement and results.

  • Time needed

    25-70 minutes

  • Preparation

    Offline Format Online Format
    Prepare flip charts Prepare virtual whiteboard (e.g. in Miro) with a blank storyboard
    Post-its and/or Liberating Structures Playing Cards Split into smaller groups using 1-2-4-all (in pairs and foursomes) or 1-all for each step
    A blank storyboard (see downloads section)  
    Split into smaller groups using 1-2-4-all (in pairs and foursomes) or 1-all for each step  

  • Set the stage

    1. This structure is usually used as a preparation step for larger gatherings or workshops, or to improve current recurring meetings 
    2. Decide who should be invited to this meeting (design meeting) - all participants, representatives or a design team
    3. Explain the task: you’ll design how the meeting should work to fulfill its purpose.

  • Step-by-step and timing

    1. Clarify the meeting's purpose (2-5 min). Example: “What is the shared purpose that brings us together in this meeting?” Use "Nine Whys" if needed to deepen.
    2. Describe what you currently do or usually would do. Example: “Describe the structure / microstructure / process you usually do in this meeting - who participates, how, what methods (discussions, reports, breakout groups etc.)” Then assess: what works well, what fails vs purpose (5-10 min)
    3. Re-examine/refine Purpose. Reflect whether the stated purpose still feels right. Are there missing elements? Refine wording if needed (2-5 min)
    4. Decide who needs to be involved (2-5 min). Example:
      • "Who must participate / be included for the meeting to fulfill its purpose?"
      • "Who are stakeholders, experts, people who are usually left out but matter?
      • Ensure roles & facilitators are decided.
    5. Brainstorm alternative structures (both conventional and Liberating Structures). Brainstorm microstructures that might serve the purpose. Also consider: can the purpose be achieved in one step / or does it need multiple steps? Identify first step if needed. (5-10 min)
    6. Select alternative structures (5-10 min). Based on the brainstorm, agree on the microstructures to use. Pick primary and alternate. Sketch them in the storyboard (see download section).
    7. Plan invitation, facilitation, logistics (2-10 min). Who is invited, who facilitates, what materials / room arrangement / timing / group configurations. Capture these in the storyboard visually.
    8. Design evaluation (2-5 min). Decide on questions or measures. Example:
      •  “Did we achieve desired outcomes?”
      •  “Was participation equitable?”,
      • “Was something new made possible?”,
      • Use “What, So What, Now What?” or similar.

    NOTE: Times are approximate; adjust for group size & complexity.

  • Hints

    1. If multiple steps are needed, confer with the design team and arrange a meeting to work on an Advanced Design StoryBoard
    2. Use 1-2-All or 1-All in rapid cycles for each step to bring better results
    3. Don’t rush refining purpose. It’s easy to gloss over, but lack of clarity here causes misalignment later.
    4. Visuals matter. Use sketches, icons, simple diagrams to build shared understanding. The storyboard template should capture things visually
    5. Have backups. For example an alternate microstructure if primary option doesn’t work.
    6. Be iterative. Sometimes what seems like one good plan on paper needs adjustment when tested / in real time.
    7. Don’t skip evaluation / feedback. Always include a design debrief (What, So What, Now What? W³)

  • Examples of use

    1. Redesigning a Weekly Team Meeting

    • Challenge: A team’s weekly status meeting was seen as boring and unproductive.

    • Use: They used Design StoryBoards to clarify the true purpose (not just updates, but coordination + surfacing obstacles).

    • Outcome: Switched from long status rounds to a combo of 1-2-4-All for surfacing issues, TRIZ for eliminating unhelpful behaviors, and a short What, So What, Now What? reflection at the end. Meetings became shorter, more energizing, and focused.

    2. Improving a Quarterly All-Hands Meeting

    • Challenge: Leadership wanted employees to leave the all-hands energized and clear about priorities, but Q&A sessions often fell flat.

    • Use: StoryBoard planning replaced open Q&A with:

    • Outcome: Employees felt more engaged and leadership got richer feedback.

    3. Designing a Cross-Department Problem-Solving Session

    • Challenge: Different departments were not coordinating well around a customer pain point.

    • Use: A small group designed the flow:

      • TRIZ to surface counterproductive habits,

      • 1-2-4-All to generate solutions,

      • Open Space to self-organize into working groups.

    • Outcome: Instead of one department dictating, multiple perspectives were included, leading to actionable collaboration.

  • Link with other Liberating Structures

    Use together with:

    1. 1-2-4-all
    2. 9 Whys
    3. What, So What, Now What? W³

  • Link to Liberating Structures page

    Design storyboards

  • Link to virtual whiteboard template (Miro)

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