Why the best experiences have invisible structure

When it comes to creating something that other people experience - a presentation, a class program, even a movie - you don’t want any of them to see what you’ve done.

Yes, you read that correctly. And don’t take my word for it - this idea was central to the work of perhaps the most versatile and prolific movie director in history.

Billy Wilder started out in 1930s Berlin as a ballroom club dancer - paid by the dance (the gig economy was happening well before Uber). After fleeing to Paris to escape the Nazis, he became a touring music journalist, before finding his groove as a screenwriter and director. By the time he was done, he’d directed over 30 movies and notched up 7 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes and a Palme d’Or. All with a iconoclastic approach and a mischievous sense of humor.

Suffice to say, Billy had some great insights on story. Here’s one:

“Story needs architectural structure, which is completely forgotten once you’ve seen the movie”

You can substitute ‘seen the movie’ for your client presentation, a masterclass session, a team workshop,, a bedtime story, and just about anything else that people engage with.

My riff on Billy’s idea is to think of this as ‘Invisible Structure’.

Done well, it carries everything - and everyone - on the journey. But if the structure is too visible, people will strain against it or tune out completely.

The art - the skill - is in making sure it’s all there, but that no one can quite see it.

As a designer and builder, this can be agony. You need to invest a lot of work, only to put it all below the surface.

But it’s worth it. The best stories and experiences all use invisible structure.

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