The following formula is divided into the same sections as are found in the “Stories” section of the Massive Change: In Action Web site. You can use this formula as a model to investigate designs and write your own Massive Change stories.

Answer the questions below, as well as your own questions. Follow the style guidelines. By doing this, you can make your case for a Massive Change design of your own, or for another design not already covered by the Massive Change project.

Situation
What problem does the design address?
What problem or opportunity led to the creation of this design?
Is there a need it fills? A crisis it helps solve?
An opening that makes it unique or new?

Explain the need, crisis or opening to which the design responds. Make your examples clear, real and specific – not general. Describe the situation in a vivid and dramatic way to help your audience understand.
Use images, maps or sketches of your own.

 
Solution
What features make this design a success?
How would you describe this design?
What are its features and characteristics?
What makes it useful and successful?
What features and characteristics make it a Massive Change design?
See the MC Glossary for help with vocabulary for this section.

Present the design as a ‘hero’ – something that brings people together to solve a problem.
Show how the design is different from others that have come before.
Describe the design using words, and include a picture or sketch of the design.
Even if the design is not an object, try showing it as an object. For example, if the design is a system for people to share a valuable resource, like drinking water, try drawing a diagram of the system.

Design Team
Who made the idea come to life?
Who are the team members that created the project?
Is there a team leader? If so, who? Why is he or she the leader?
What skills, experience and education does each member bring to the team?
Who else could work with the team to help make the project successful?
What organizations or businesses were involved?

Show pictures of the entire team working together.
Use quotes from team members to show what they hope to achieve with the design.
Spotlight the person or people most responsible for the success of the design.
Don't talk about the process used to create the design. This information belongs in the ‘Realization’ section of your story.

Users
Whose needs does the design meet?
Who uses the design?
Who benefits from the design?
Does it affect the lives of people other than the ones who use it directly?
How do those people benefit?
What are the backgrounds of the users? Think about their skills, education and wealth. How do those factors affect how they use the design?

Explain who the users are. Be as specific as possible.
Find out as much about the users as you can, and present this information to your audience.
If possible, interview a user to find out about their experience using the design.
Show pictures of the users or describe them as best you can, using words and illustrations.
If the design has more than one user or more than one type of user, include information about all of them.

Realization
What process was used to create this design?
What process was used to create the design?
What problems did the design team have to solve? How did they solve them?
What materials and methods did they use to create the design?

Remember: It’s all about making it ‘real’. Try to make the story specific. Provide details. Don't be afraid to show the gritty truth – the harder it was for the team to succeed, the more interesting the story becomes.   
Try to use the team members' own words to tell the story. Their narration and quotations will help your audience understanding the process in a unique way.
Find anecdotes – short, true stories – to explain the process from the point of view of members of the design team.
If they are available, include validation methods. A validation method is a way of studying how effective the design is. They include things like user studies and field-testing.

Impact
What effects does this design have in the world?
What does this design contribute to the world?
What new possibilities does it create?
Does it create a new “Situation”? Is this an intended or unintended effect of the design? Is there another design that could solve the new situation?
What other factors will help the success of this design?

Explain how the design affects life in the present. Help your audience imagine how the design will affect life in the future, and how the design might need to change over time.
Consider using a map to show where the design affects life at present and areas where it might affect life in the future.
Explain iteration or repetition: show how each solution loops back and creates a new ‘Situation’.
Explain new challenges created by the design, or other related challenges that still have to addressed. Try to focus on optimistic possibilities – positive solutions to the challenges.

Questions
What can I do?

Here, we ask questions that lead to “MC-like” answers.
Try to ask questions that draw out optimistic answers. Try to get people to propose their own ideas and focus on solutions.
You can ask your audience more questions that lead them to explore and investigate other designs and situations.