I’ve been studying comics (or bande dessinée, as they call it in Portugal and other parts of Europe), getting back into drawing and applying what I learn in my free time, and as always, I end up connecting it to UX Design. Communication is a global problem—it always has been and always will be. The inability to tell a compelling story affects products, brands, and user experiences. On the other hand, mastering storytelling has become a huge competitive advantage in many industries—not just the obvious ones like film and comics but also in digital product design.

One concept that really helped me understand this in a practical way is the logline. For those unfamiliar with the term, a logline is a short sentence that summarizes the core idea of a story. In screenwriting, it must be clear enough to explain the plot in a few words while also being intriguing enough to spark interest.

• “A shark terrorizes a coastal town, and an unlikely group of men must stop it.” (Jaws)
• “A young man discovers he is the chosen one to overthrow a tyrannical empire and restore balance.” (Star Wars or The Matrix)

A good logline defines the essence of a story without diving into unnecessary details.

Now, think about this: Does your product have a logline? If a user can’t quickly understand what an app, website, or service is about, it means the product is poorly structured.

A brilliant example of clear storytelling is Maus, the undeniable classic by Art Spiegelman. Despite tackling a heavy subject like the Holocaust, it tells the story in an accessible and impactful way, without unnecessary complexity. The decision to depict characters as animals (Jews as mice, Nazis as cats) is a powerful visual tool that simplifies the message without reducing its depth. In UX, we strive for the same thing: making complex information easy to understand without overwhelming the user. Additionally, abstraction and playfulness have always been powerful tools to make difficult topics more digestible—whether in comics, UX, or educational products.

Another fantastic example is Calvin and Hobbes, by Bill Watterson. If you want to learn about microcopy, there is no better reference. Each comic strip is a masterclass in writing short dialogues packed with meaning, humor, and emotion. What makes Calvin and Hobbes so brilliant is its balance between text and image—every word is carefully chosen to convey the most meaning with the fewest words. That’s exactly what we aim for in UX: well-crafted microcopy can transform a user experience, making it more intuitive, fluid, and even fun.

Now, let’s look at a UX example that effectively uses storytelling and playfulness: Duolingo. I’ve mentioned it before, but it’s worth highlighting again. Duolingo’s main advantage isn’t just teaching languages but using storytelling to engage users. Through gamification, challenges, characters, and rewards, the app turns learning into a journey—boosting retention and motivation. But is there another example that does this well? Yes—Khan Academy. While it lacks a charismatic mascot like Duo, it uses narrative and gamification intelligently to teach math and science in a structured, engaging way.

And if we’re talking about bad examples, Microsoft Teams deserves a mention. Teams’ problem isn’t just one issue—it’s a collection of bad design choices. The interface is cluttered, navigation is unintuitive, and the product’s communication is inconsistent. Important messages get lost, the chat and channel structure is messy, and the overall experience feels like a Frankenstein of poorly integrated features. It’s a product that doesn’t know whether it wants to be a messaging app or a full collaborative workspace—and the result is a frustrating UX. Teams fails because it ignores a fundamental principle of design and storytelling: cohesion. If a product’s story doesn’t make sense, users get lost.

📖 2 comics that teach a lot about clear communication:
✔️ Maus (Art Spiegelman) – Masterclass in narrative clarity and abstraction.
✔️ Calvin and Hobbes (Bill Watterson) – The art of saying a lot with very few words (microcopy).

💡 1 product that does this well:
✅ Khan Academy – Clear learning structure and intuitive use of gamification.

❌ 1 product that fails at this:
🚫 Microsoft Teams – Disorganized interface, confusing communication, and an inconsistent user experience.

So, does your product have a clear logline? If you had to explain your project in one sentence, what would it be?