“That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.”
Steve Jobs
KISS principle is an acronym for Keep It Simple Stupid and was first used by the US Navy in the 1st half of the last century. KISS was a design principal that said you should not over engineer the design. Over the years the principal has stood the test of time and is now used in a variety of situations.
From a story tellers point of view the widely used KISS variant Keep It Short And Simple is a perfect guide to use when you are telling your story, whether it is verbal, visual or a complete multimedia experience, the KISS principal equally applies.
The KISS Storytelling Principal In Action
Get To The Point
Your story telling should be guided by what exactly your objectives are in telling your story. All stories should have a “clear purpose “ and the audience should know exactly what you are trying to share with them. They should never be in any doubt as to what the point of point of your story is.
Keep It Personal
With so much storytelling available online it is your personal story or the unique story behind your brand that makes your story stand out.
Keep It Short
Avoiding verbal or visual waffle means you only tell the audience what they need to hear to understand your story. Keeping a story short forces the storyteller to keep to the point and avoids unnecessary detail that may confuse their audience.
“Things don’t have to change the world to be important.”
Steve Jobs
Stories when told well have the power to change people’s opinions and influence the way they will act. By applying the KISS principal to your story it focuses your attention on what you really want to share with your audience. Your audience will appreciate your clarity and focus and be more likely to act upon what they learn