Book Club: Design Is Storytelling by Ellen Lupton
No reading required. We’ve done it for you.
“Experiences are created when designers shift the
emphasis from the object to the action.”
— Ellen Lupton, Design Is Storytelling
Every business is trying to get someone to do something — buy, sign up, show up, trust.
Design is how that actually happens. Not the logo. The whole experience: what people notice first, what makes them stop, what makes them act.
Ellen Lupton’s argument is simple: good design works the same way a good story does. It creates a path, builds emotion, and leads people toward a decision.
In 45 minutes, we’ll pull apart that idea and make it useful — for your pitch, your product, your personal brand, or just how you present yourself and your work.
What You’ll Walk Away With
A way to look at your own work — pitch, product, brand — as a story with a structure
A feel for the three levers Lupton uses: Action, Emotion, and Sensation
Something you’ll notice differently in every interface, poster, and package you see this week
Who Should Attend
Anyone curious about why some ideas land and others don’t.
No design background required — some of the best conversations happen when designers and non-designers are in the same room.
And definitely no reading required. Just show up.