How can architectural projects benefit from using a narrative-driven design process?

We created a narrative design framework to help designers integrate storytelling best practices into their design process. To accomplish this, we conducted research into the structure and function of a narrative, and examined how storytelling is used in other industries such as branding, advertising, graphic design, entertainment, and service design. We then interviewed several designers with strong narrative-based perspectives to understand their design process. We also studied projects with a strong narrative focus to understand how teams successfully implemented stories in the resulting design solutions. Finally, we held an all-day workshop with a film producer to better understand the elements of a successful narrative.