Once upon a time training meant slides, a breakout, and a checklist.
Every day we call that “learning.”
But one day I heard about the Story Spine — an eight‑part storytelling scaffold created by Kenn Adams and used at Pixar.
Because of that I tried it on a board engagement workshop.
Because of that the agenda became a chain with a clear hook and activities that showed how people could influence the conditions that make participation easier.
Because of that board members could follow the logic and decide on specific next steps that would actually change what they do in the boardroom.
Until finally boards were able to take meaningful action together. That’s the outcome we design for.
You already know the Story Spine rhythm: Once upon a time… Every day… But one day… Because of that… Until finally… Ever since then… Its genius is the phrase “because of that.“ When we relay a list, we typically use the phase “And then,” which stacks information. “Because of that” forces causality: Why should X lead to Y? If you can shuffle your steps without breaking the argument, you don’t have a chain — you have a list.
For learners: A chain gives learners a throughline. When each step answers why the previous step matters, people can connect new ideas to what they already know and do. Narrative structure reduces cognitive friction and helps people remember and apply what they learn.
For designers: The sequencing is a stress test. If you can rearrange your agenda without breaking the logic, you’ve built a list, not a chain. The Story Spine forces you to ask the causal question at every step: Why should X lead to Y? That question exposes what’s missing — practice, feedback, a tool, or workplace support — and points you to the real design work.
Before you build your next slide deck, give your training a Story Spine. Start at Until finally… and work backward with so that. Then read it forward with because of that. If you want, try this now: pick one learning objective and rewrite it as a causal chain. Read it aloud. If it breaks, you’ve found your design work.
Until finally people act. Now that’s a happy ending.
The Story Spine is one tool for designing learning that helps people take action. This fall, Learning That Sticks takes that idea further with three conversations about motivation, practice, and designing learning that people can actually use back at work. Join us!
