Skip to content
vDynamiq Docs

Storyline (Step 3)

Storyline is where the study becomes a story. vDynamiq arranges your measurement into chapters that flow as one narrative, and you shape that flow. See Storyline & chapters (concept) for the idea; this page is the how-to.

What this step is for

Section titled “What this step is for”

To give the study narrative structure and pacing so respondents move through a story rather than down a list — and to keep each persona’s character coherent from start to finish.

Chapters

Section titled “Chapters”

The storyline is built from chapters, which play different narrative roles:

  • Opening — sets the scene and establishes the situation and character.
  • Bridge — develops the story and carries the bulk of the measurement.
  • Closing — brings the experience to a resolution or reflection.

Each chapter has a research focus (what it’s there to measure) and, for named characters, continuity details such as what the character wears and their opening posture or activity — so the same person stays recognisable across chapters.

How to do it

Section titled “How to do it”
  1. Review the generated storyline — the “Storyline at a glance” overview shows the chapters and their flow.
  2. Check each chapter’s research focus aligns with the framework.
  3. Adjust chapter structure, ordering, and the narrative so it reads naturally.
  4. Keep character continuity consistent chapter to chapter (appearance, posture) for each persona.
  5. To revise with guidance, enter feedback to apply and regenerate — vDynamiq reworks the storyline using your notes.
  6. When the flow works, continue to Option Collections or straight to Scenes & Questions.

Best practices

Section titled “Best practices”
  • Read it as a respondent would, top to bottom. If a transition feels abrupt or a chapter drifts from its focus, fix it now — the scenes inherit this structure.
  • Group related measurement into the same chapter so respondents stay in one context for a stretch instead of topic-hopping.
  • Keep the character consistent. Continuity details are what make named characters feel real; contradictions break the immersion that lifts engagement.
  • Use feedback-to-apply instead of manual rewrites for big changes — describe the change you want and let vDynamiq reflow the whole storyline coherently.

Tips

Section titled “Tips”
  • The Opening → Bridge → Closing shape is a reliable arc; lean on it when a storyline feels flat.
  • A chapter image that hasn’t generated yet is normal at this stage — visuals are finalised when you generate assets.
  • If the storyline and the framework disagree (a chapter with no clear metric, or a metric with no home), reconcile them before generating scenes.

Where to go next

Section titled “Where to go next”