Narratives In Design: A Study Of The Uses, Types, And Functions Of Narratives In Design Practice

Many studies have looked at the potential of using narrative to create engaging experiences with designed objects or to enrich the design process. However, the concept of narrative is fuzzy and open to interpretation, as it is used to mean different things by different disciplines and approaches. This paper presents five definitions of narrative based on narrative theory. The use of narrative in design is then reviewed through a typology based on where narratives occur in the design. To conclude, possibilities for future design applications are outlined by proposing strategies for a narrative approach to design.