Draw
Click a panel to start
😊 Insert Emoji
Click any emoji → inserts into the last focused text field
👥 People & Emotions
📱 Objects & Devices
💡 Actions & Symbols
🎬 Storyboard Extras
W2 Print-04 · Phase 2 · Prototype

📋 6-Panel Storyboard

Visualise your prototype as a 6-scene story — from the user's frustration to the moment your solution changes their situation. Draw, write, or mix both in every panel.

⏱ 20–25 min to complete 👥 Whole team, one sheet ✏️ Draw · 📝 Write · 😊 Emoji 📐 Method: Google Design Sprint
How to Use This Sheet

📖 Step-by-Step Instructions

1
Fill Story Context
Name your user, their pain, and what success looks like. Do this before drawing — it's your compass.
2
Draw the Scene
Click a panel canvas and draw with mouse or stylus. Toolbar: pen ✏️, eraser 🧹, colours, brush size.
3
Write & Add Emojis
Switch to 📝 Write or ＋ Both in the panel tabs. Click 😊 in the toolbar to pop up the emoji picker.
4
Write the Caption
Below each panel, write what the user is thinking or saying in that moment — in their own voice.
✅ Draw + write + emoji — mix freely per panel ✅ One specific moment per panel ✅ Show emotion not just actions ❌ Don't skip panel 2 — the tension makes the solution feel valuable ❌ Don't explain the story — show it
The Story Arc

Your storyboard follows a classic 3-act narrative structure

1
World Before
Setup
2
Pain Moment
Tension
3
First Contact
Turn
4
Core Interaction
Action
5
"Aha" Moment
Payoff
6
World After
Resolution
ACT 1 — Problem (1–2)
ACT 2 — Solution in action (3–5)
ACT 3 — Outcome (6)
Worked Example
💡 Example — "App that helps freelancers track unpaid invoices"
Panel 1 — Setup
😴 Maria at laptop, invoices everywhere
"It's been 6 weeks. I have no idea which clients still owe me money."
Panel 2 — Tension
😤 Maria opens spreadsheet, overwhelmed
"I spend 2 hours every Friday just chasing payments. This is killing me."
Panel 3 — Discovery
🔍 Friend shows Maria the prototype
"Oh — this shows overdue invoices in one list? Let me try."
Panel 4 — Interaction
👆 Maria taps "Send reminder" — one click
"I just chased three clients in 30 seconds. That used to take 45 minutes."
Panel 5 — Aha!
🥳 Client replies within the hour, pays
"It actually works?! I got paid because of a nudge from my phone."
Panel 6 — Outcome
😎 Maria on Friday, relaxed, laptop closed
"Fridays used to be stressful. Now I get paid faster and I know where I stand."
Step 1 — Define Your Story Context (before drawing)
Give them a name, age, and one-line role. The more specific, the better.
What do they do, think, or say when the problem hits? Be specific about the moment.
After using your prototype, what does life look like? What do they feel, say, or do differently?

✏️ Drawing Tips — you don't need to be an artist

🙂
Stick figures = peopleCircle for head + lines for body
💬
Speech bubbles = thoughtsCircle with a tail = what they say
📱
Rectangles = devicesPhone, laptop, paper — draw as a box
➡️
Arrows = actionsShow direction of movement or flow
😊
Emojis = quick emotionUse the 😊 toolbar button to insert
📝
Yellow note = text labelsSwitch to Write tab for typed notes
Step 2 — The 6 Frames (~3 min per panel)  Use tabs inside each panel to switch between ✏️ Draw / 📝 Write / ＋ Both
1
ACT 1
🎬
Show: Your user in their normal environment before the problem hits. Where are they? What are they doing?
💬 What is the user thinking or saying?
2
ACT 1
😤
Show: The exact moment the pain hits — the friction, the failure, the frustration. This is why your solution matters!
💬 What is the user thinking or saying?
3
ACT 2
🔍
Show: How does the user encounter your prototype? First impression — curious, sceptical, or hopeful?
💬 What is the user thinking or saying?
4
ACT 2
👆
Show: The single most important thing the user DOES. One action. This is the step that delivers your core value.
💬 What is the user thinking or saying?
5
ACT 2
💡
Show: The moment the user "gets it" — value becomes undeniable. Show emotional reaction: smile, gasp, relief, surprise.
💬 What is the user thinking or saying?
6
ACT 3
🌟
Show: Contrast with panel 1. A specific, concrete moment of the improved situation — not vague "everything is better".
💬 What is the user thinking or saying?
Step 3 — Review Checklist (before you test)
A stranger could read panels 1–6 and understand the story without any explanation from youIf you need to explain it — the storyboard needs to be clearer
The user's emotion is visible in at least 3 panels (frustration in 2, curiosity in 3–5, relief in 6)Emotion is what makes the story convincing to the test user
Panels 1 and 2 show the problem clearly — with NO hint of your solutionThe solution should only appear in panel 3. If it appears earlier, the tension is lost.
The single most important feature of your prototype is visible in panel 4Panels 3–5 should focus on ONE interaction, not give a full product tour
Panel 6 shows a specific concrete scene — not a vague "everything is better now"e.g. "saved 2 hours on Friday" is concrete. "Life is easier" is too vague.
The riskiest assumption from Print 03 is the thing being tested in panels 3–5Your storyboard should test ONE thing — the most critical assumption you mapped
You could hand this to a test user and ask "Does this feel real to you?" without being embarrassedYou're ready. Go test it — even if it's rough.