The New Facebook Timeline. Project Storytelling. And Maps!

 

You just filled in your Excel sheet and now nobody cares.

You just told your mission statement and now nobody remembers.

That's strange. Because you love it! Of course you do. And you can be proud. You made an awesome Excel sheet. One heck of a mission statement.

But. Not everyone likes to receive information in the same way you do. Some like LinkedIn. I wish I was one of them. Really. But I don't. Boring? Who knows. I like to receive my information and interaction differently. Like Facebook.

I can't wait for them to roll out their new feature called Timeline. What they will do is put all the elements you posted on Facebook the last couple of years, like photos, links, public statements, and place them on a chronological timeline. Making it the Story Of You.

Of course, Facebook knowing, it will be a privacy nightmare, but that is besides my point. What they do is pick single pieces of information already there, place them on a timeline and present them visually. And presto. You have a highly engaging Story of You.

At least. That is what I expect. Perhaps next week I will write a post about how disappointed I am. We'll see.

Ok. So individual pieces of information put together can make a story? Hmmmm.

What if instead of Excel sheets, grids, metrics and mission statements, you create the Story Of Your Project? Same information. Entirely different feel.

You just need a timeline.

Better yet! You need maps! Maps to put stuff on. Maps that will help you tell your Project Story.

Think about your project as a Big Adventure. You are trying to find a treasure. You are going to retrieve a stolen secret document. You are going to set the princess free. Or you are going to create something exciting for an awesome client.

You and your team will work hard to reach The Goal. To create The Thing.

Every project is a journey. It is never a straight line. You might have some idea about how to move through the unknown territory in search for The Goal. But it’s surely isn’t a done deal. Things happen. Things aren’t always what you think they are. New shit will come to light, as The Dude would say.

You have to conquer obstacles, re-plan, regroup, rethink and change course.

Back in the days pirates would go through extreme lengths to get their treasure maps. Of course they would only have half of the map. But that was so much better than having no map at all. And the end of the journey would always be indicated by an X. X marks the spot. Your Thing is The X. Even today. If you are going to somewhere you haven’t gone before, a map is awesome. It provides you directions. It helps you make sense of where you are, and where you should be going. Of course. Maps. Now we have an app for that.

But still.

You and your team need a map for your Big Adventure. Imagine your project as a map through unknown territory in search for The Goal. Creating Your Thing. The X.

Actually. You need more than one map. You need a couple of them. Airplane pilots use different kinds of maps than London cabbie drivers. If you are drilling for oil you have a different map than if you are looking for the nearest fresh bottle of Perrier.

You know what!?

I've got some maps for you.

Do you have a story for me?

Bas de Baar is a writer who draws about people in transition. He loves to make visual maps and travel guides for the collaborators of our brave new world.