Epic Storyboard Explained: A Visual Guide to Agile Planning
- Michelle M
- Jul 26
- 6 min read
In Agile project management the term "epic storyboard" holds unique significance. It's a blend of two powerful concepts epics (from agile frameworks like Scrum and SAFe) and storyboards (from creative disciplines like filmmaking and UX design). When combined, these form a strategic visualization tool that provides clarity, alignment, and momentum to projects especially those that are complex, user-centric, and continuously evolving.
So, what exactly is an epic storyboard? How does it help in managing projects, guiding user experience, or mapping digital products? And more importantly, how can organizations leverage it to unlock better outcomes?
In this blog, we will explore the essence of an epic storyboard, its components, how it’s used across industries, and practical steps to create and benefit from one. By the end, you’ll understand why this tool is a game-changer for agile teams, designers, product managers, and storytellers alike.
Understanding the Term "Epic" in Agile
Before we dive into the storyboard aspect, it’s important to understand what an “epic” means in agile.
In agile methodologies like Scrum or SAFe, an epic is a large body of work that can be broken down into smaller tasks known as user stories. It typically represents a significant feature, function, or business objective that spans several sprints.
For example, in a mobile banking app, an epic could be “Enable users to deposit checks using their phone camera.” That epic may be broken down into smaller user stories such as:
As a user, I want to take a photo of the front and back of my check.
As a user, I want to receive a confirmation after a successful upload.
As a user, I want to view my deposit history in the app.
So, in simple terms, an epic is a high-level goal that provides structure and purpose to a set of smaller, actionable items.
What Is a Storyboard?
Now, let’s consider the storyboard concept.
A storyboard is a visual representation of a sequence of events often used in filmmaking, animation, advertising, UX design, and product development. It consists of frames or scenes, each representing a step in the narrative, user journey, or process.
In UX and digital product development, storyboards are used to map user interactions with a product over time. These include visuals, emotions, contexts, and touchpoints showing how users engage with features or navigate systems.
Defining an Epic Storyboard
An epic storyboard combines the strategic planning of an agile epic with the visual, narrative flow of a storyboard.
It is a visual map that lays out a high-level goal (the epic) and represents the user journey or system flow required to fulfill that goal. Rather than being limited to words or backlogs, an epic storyboard adds visuals, emotions, and interactions, making the abstract concrete.
It can include:
Visual scenes or frames depicting key moments
User personas and their goals or frustrations
Touchpoints or system interactions
Contextual elements such as device used, location, mood, etc.
Narrative flows that mirror real-life scenarios
This hybrid format is immensely useful for cross-functional teams developers, designers, business analysts, and stakeholders because it aligns everyone around a shared vision.
Why Use an Epic Storyboard?
Here are several compelling reasons to use an epic storyboard in your product or project lifecycle:
1. Clarity of Vision
Epic storyboards help bring abstract goals to life. Instead of a vague bullet list or user story backlog, teams can see how features are experienced in real-world scenarios.
2. User-Centered Design
By visualizing the user’s journey, you can ensure the product remains focused on real problems and behaviors, not just technical tasks.
3. Improved Collaboration
Designers, developers, marketers, and business stakeholders all have different ways of interpreting epics. A visual storyboard acts as a common language.
4. Prioritization Aid
Seeing how each feature fits into the user’s journey helps prioritize stories based on actual value and experience impact.
5. Better Planning
Mapping out the epic in a storyboard format helps identify dependencies, risks, and areas where user testing is most needed.
Key Components of an Epic Storyboard
An epic storyboard is highly customizable, but it typically includes the following components:
1. Epic Title
A concise summary of the overall goal or feature. Example: “Streamlined User Onboarding Experience.”
2. User Persona
A profile of the target user, including goals, pain points, and context. This humanizes the journey.
3. Scenes or Frames
Each frame depicts a key moment in the user’s interaction with the product. It could be a sketch, wireframe, or illustration.
4. Actions
What the user does at each stage clicks a button, fills a form, swipes a card.
5. Emotions or Reactions
Capturing how users feel during the experience frustrated, confused, delighted helps uncover opportunities for improvement.
6. Touchpoints
Interfaces or channels used mobile app, desktop browser, chatbot, etc.
7. Outcome or Metric
What success looks like in each frame or scene conversion, reduced churn, task completion, etc.
Real-World Examples of Epic Storyboards
Example 1: Online Retail Checkout Epic
Epic: Simplify the checkout process to reduce cart abandonment.
Storyboard frames could include:
User adds item to cart
User views cart and clicks “Checkout”
User logs in or continues as guest
User enters shipping and billing info
User reviews and confirms order
User receives order confirmation email
Each frame shows the interface, user action, potential pitfalls (e.g., confusion at login), and user emotion (e.g., anxious about payment security).
Example 2: SaaS Onboarding Epic
Epic: Enable new users to set up their first project within 10 minutes.
Storyboard frames could include:
Welcome email and CTA
First-time login screen
Guided walkthrough or checklist
Creating first project
Completing first task
Feedback prompt or NPS survey
Here, the storyboard might reveal moments of confusion or excitement, allowing designers and developers to refine the process.
How to Create an Epic Storyboard
Here’s a step-by-step guide for building your own epic storyboard:
Step 1: Define the Epic
Start with a clearly written epic that describes a major user goal or business outcome.
Step 2: Identify Personas
Who are the users interacting with this feature? What do they want, and what challenges do they face?
Step 3: Map the Journey
Break the epic down into major stages or touchpoints. This is the backbone of your storyboard.
Step 4: Visualize Each Scene
Sketch (even roughly) each step, showing interfaces, environments, and actions.
Step 5: Add Annotations
Include notes on emotions, system behavior, assumptions, and expected outcomes.
Step 6: Review with Stakeholders
Share the storyboard with your team and stakeholders to gather feedback and align expectations.
Step 7: Iterate
Update the storyboard as the product evolves or new insights emerge from user testing.
Tools for Creating Epic Storyboards
You can use a variety of tools to create your epic storyboard:
Whiteboarding Tools: Miro, MURAL
Design Tools: Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch
Presentation Tools: Google Slides, PowerPoint
Storyboard-Specific Tools: Storyboard That, Boords
You don’t need to be an artist simple stick figures and boxes can be just as powerful if they clearly communicate intent.
Epic Storyboard vs User Journey Map vs User Story Map
Though related, these tools serve slightly different purposes:
Epic Storyboard: Focuses on visual storytelling and emotion within an epic-level scope.
User Journey Map: Broader view of the full end-to-end experience, including before and after product use.
User Story Map: Focuses on organizing user stories by task and priority, often without visuals.
An epic storyboard can serve as a bridge between these formats, combining narrative, visuals, and functional steps.
When to Use an Epic Storyboard
Before Development: To validate assumptions and align teams.
During Design: To inform wireframes and UX flows.
In Agile Planning: To break epics into more actionable user stories.
During User Testing: To compare ideal journeys with actual behavior.
For Stakeholder Buy-In: To explain complex features in a simple, visual way.
Conclusion
An epic storyboard is more than a project artifact it’s a communication bridge, a planning tool, and a quality booster. It merges the strategic depth of agile epics with the user-focused narrative of storyboarding, helping teams move beyond backlogs and into meaningful design.
In a world where user expectations evolve rapidly and product complexity grows, epic storyboards offer clarity, cohesion, and creativity. Whether you’re a UX designer, product manager, or scrum master, embracing epic storyboards can elevate your product strategy and execution.
Subscribe and share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
Professional Project Manager Templates are available here
