Interactive Content Design

As a Narrative Producer, I was responsible for a narrative of a dozen games. Here's how the narrative pipeline in game development works: 1 🎮 Start with the Game Concept • Define the genre, platforms, target audience, and core mechanics. • Establish the unique selling points (USPs) and the game loop. 2 📖 Develop the Synopsis • Create a brief overview of the story (1-2 pages). • Use a three-act structure to outline the main plot, characters, and story arc. 3 💡 Write the Logline • Condense the story into 2-3 sentences. • Highlight the protagonist, goal, and conflict. 4 🌍 Dive into Worldbuilding • Design the game’s setting. • Focus on elements that shape the story, characters, and gameplay. 5 👤 Character Passports & Speech • Define character backstories, motivations, and traits. • Develop unique speech patterns and sample dialogue. 6 🗺️ Build a Story Outline • Break down the narrative into acts and chapters. • Highlight key events, twists, and character development. 7 📊 Create a Chapters Flowchart • Map branching paths, player decisions, and outcomes. • Integrate game mechanics into the story progression. 8 🎨 Describe the Art • Provide references for character designs, environments, and key scenes. 9 🔧 Highlight Narrative Features • Outline tools like branching dialogue or interactive storytelling. 10 🗨️ Write the Dialogue • Craft engaging, character-driven dialogue. • Define cut scenes and character actions. 11 🕵️ Add Secondary Narrative Layers • Include lore, item descriptions, and environmental storytelling. 12 🎙️ Voice Acting & Motion Capture • Cast and record voices; enhance animations through motion capture. 13 🔗 Integrate the Narrative • Implement the narrative content into the game. 14 🛠️ Test & Iterate • Playtest, gather feedback, and refine the narrative. 15 🌍 Localize for Global Players • Adapt the story for different languages and cultures. Which step do you find the most exciting or challenging? Let’s discuss!

I've tested over 20 AI agent frameworks in the past 2 years. Building with them, breaking them, trying to make them work in real scenarios. Here's the brutal truth: 99% of them fail when real customers show up. Most are impressive in demos but struggle with actual conversations. Then I came across Parlant in the conversational AI space. And it's genuinely different. Here's what caught my attention: 1. The Engineering behind it: 40,000 lines of optimized code backed by 30,000 lines of tests. That tells you how much real-world complexity they've actually solved. 2. It works out of the box: You get a managed conversational agent in about 3 minutes that handles conversations better than most frameworks I've tried. 3. Conversation Modeling Approach: Instead of rigid flowcharts or unreliable system prompts, they use something called "Conversation Modeling." Here's how it actually works: 1. Contextual Guidelines: ↳ Every behavior is defined as a specific guideline. ↳ Condition: "Customer wants to return an item" ↳ Action: "Get order number and item name, then help them return it" 2. Controlled Tool Usage: ↳ Tools are tied to specific guidelines ↳ No random LLM decisions about when to call APIs ↳ Your tools only run when the guideline conditions are met. 3. Utterances Feature: ↳ Checks for pre-approved response templates first ↳ Uses those templates when available ↳ Automatically fills in dynamic data (like flight info or account numbers) ↳ Only falls back to generation when no template exists What I Really Like: It scales with your needs. You can add more behavioral nuance as you grow without breaking existing functionality. What's even better? It works with ALL major LLM providers - OpenAI, Gemini, Llama 3, Anthropic, and more. For anyone building conversational AI, especially in regulated industries, this approach makes sense. Your agents can now be both conversational AND compliant. AI Agent that actually does what you tell it to do. If you’re serious about building customer support agents and tired of flaky behavior, try Parlant.

Travelers ask many questions before booking, and most of them are already answered somewhere in a property’s listing. However, surfacing the right information at the right moment is far from simple, especially when listings are inconsistent or lengthy. In a recent blog, Agoda’s engineering team shares how they tackled this with a conversational AI assistant called the Property AMA Bot. Instead of hardcoding answers or relying solely on generative models, they built a retrieval-augmented system that combines relevance scoring with language generation to provide accurate, grounded responses. Here’s how it works: First, they break down each property’s content into structured “facts��� using heuristics and keyword filtering. When a user asks a question, the system retrieves relevant facts using a hybrid of sparse and dense retrieval techniques. Then, these facts are passed into a fine-tuned LLM, which generates a concise answer grounded in the retrieved content. To keep answers factual and safe, they also include fallback rules, so that the bot will refrain from answering if confidence is low or the topic falls outside the known scope. This setup strikes a good balance between traditional Information Retrieval methods and generative models, making the bot both responsive and reliable. This approach is a great example of retrieval-augmented generation in practice, blending engineering pragmatism with the strengths of LLMs to improve real-world user experience. #DataScience #MachineLearning #Analytics #LLMs #ConversationalAI #SnacksWeeklyonDataScience – – –  Check out the "Snacks Weekly on Data Science" podcast and subscribe, where I explain in more detail the concepts discussed in this and future posts:    -- Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gKgaMvbh   -- Apple Podcast: https://lnkd.in/gj6aPBBY    -- Youtube: https://lnkd.in/gcwPeBmR https://lnkd.in/gVUT97F7

One thing that LLM agents can't do well: Any old-school chatbot can stay on script, while LLM agents tend to go rogue and lead customers into weird conversations. But of course, old chatbots feel robotic, and customers don't want to talk to them. They are reliable, but people don't like them, LLM agents are the opposite. They're fluid and adaptive, but they can say anything. You're literally one hallucination away from a disaster. The guys behind Parlant are doing something really smart with their new version: You can build an agent with the best of both worlds. The agent can dynamically switch between an LLM agent and strict mode based on what's happening in the conversation. Risk isn't uniform across a conversation: 1. When a customer asks a casual product question, Parlant engages the LLM to generate a fluid and helpful answer. 2. When a customer asks for a refund, Parlant engages strict mode to only return approved, contextually-driven response templates. You control the agent's "composition mode" based on natural-language observations about the current state of the conversation. This is a really cool idea. It should significantly improve the current state of the art in chatbots. You can check it out here: parlant.io The attached diagram shows how the dynamic composition mode works.

There’s a big difference between 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 and 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨. A 10-second social reel might get a few easy likes (vanity metrics, mostly). But a well-produced, story-driven video has the power to 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬… To shape how people see your business, your culture, and your impact. Take Bronte Webb from Martinus Rail. Her journey as an apprentice isn’t just another corporate highlight reel, it’s a story that puts a face to opportunity, growth, and the future of the industry. A quick social reel wouldn’t do it justice. A longer-form piece allows the story to breathe, giving the audience time to connect, engage, and truly feel something. A well-crafted video can: - Build credibility and trust in your business - Strengthen brand perception (quality content = a quality company) - Showcase real people and real impact - not just quick sugar hits - Shift how your audience feels about your company, not just what they know Marketing and b2b content creation isn’t just about pushing content out there, it’s about taking the time to tell the business stories that matter most to your audience. That’s what makes a B2b brand more memorable, and leads to better business outcomes. Social reels certainly have their place. But the best content isn’t the quickest to produce. It’s the content that leaves a lasting impression. More companies in the industry need to get this balance right. And the marketing and comms managers that understand this will generate better business outcomes longterm from the marketing content they create. If your company had the chance to tell a truly powerful story, what would it be?

Here is my step-by-step guide to LinkedIn content that has led our clients to raise over $100M in the last 12 months. Step 1: Treat Your Timeline Like a Deck Your LinkedIn feed becomes your investor pitch but in public. Forget the one-time deck reveal. Every post you publish should act as a standalone “slide” in your ongoing story. Think: 12–16 posts over 90 days, each building trust, clarity, and momentum. Step 2: Use the 5 Core Content Pillars Rotate through these to cover your full narrative: 1. The Problem ◉ Explain the problem in plain English. ◉ Show market pain, inefficiencies, or broken systems. ◉ Use a stat, anecdote, or customer quote to make it real. ◉ Bonus: Use storytelling — “We saw X every week. So we built Y.” 2. Your Solution ◉ Introduce your product or service as the answer. ◉ Showcase the product in action (screenshots or demo clips). ◉ Explain your edge: what’s new, better, or 10x different? ◉ Don’t pitch. Educate. 3. Market Momentum ◉ Share what’s changing in the industry. ◉ Back it with data, trend signals, or why “now” is the time. ◉ Mention TAM, growth rate, or where whitespace exists. ◉ This is where you show scale potential. 4. Team Credibility ◉ Share your founder story. ◉ Introduce key hires with a story about why they joined. ◉ Show your team dynamic, values, and culture in action. ◉ Investors want to see who's behind the execution engine. 5. Traction + Vision ◉ Post about metrics, milestones, customer growth, testimonials. ◉ But also: vision. Where’s this all going in 3–5 years? ◉ Show you’re thinking big, not just surviving. Step 3: Use Video to Build Trust Faster ◉ Record 60–90 second clips where you speak directly to camera. ◉ Mix in demo walkthroughs, team moments, or async updates. ◉ Don’t over-polish. Real > Perfect. ◉ Founders who look and sound investable are halfway there before the first call. Step 4: Feature the Team ◉ Investors often ask, “Why this team, why now?” ◉ Highlight chemistry. ◉ Post short profiles or quotes from team members. ◉ Show shared obsession with the mission. Step 5: Build Hype Without Pitching ◉ Talk about fundraising indirectly. ◉ Share when you hit milestones (“waitlist hit 1K,” “closed 3rd enterprise client”) ◉ Hint at traction, not desperation. ◉ FOMO is your friend — make them want in before the round is announced. Talk about fundraising indirectly. ◉ Share when you hit milestones (“waitlist hit 1K,” “closed 3rd enterprise client”) ◉ Hint at traction, not desperation. ◉ FOMO is your friend — make them want in before the round is announced. Content isn’t a “nice-to-have” during a raise. It’s your unfair advantage. ______________________________ I am James Farnfield, I am building Shake Content, a LinkedIn content agency that creates posts, videos, webinars and podcasts. All wrapped in a beautiful marketing strategy perfect for time-poor, resource strained B2B high-growth leaders and their teams.

Most corporate training is forgettable. Let’s be real—how many times have you clicked through an eLearning module, answered the quiz, and instantly forgotten everything? That’s because information alone doesn’t drive learning. Stories do. We’re wired to remember narratives, not PowerPoint slides. A compelling story taps into emotion, creates context, and makes learning stick. So, how do you bring storytelling into eLearning? Here are three ways: 1️⃣ Start with a relatable character – Give your learners someone to connect with. Instead of generic scenarios, create personas facing real workplace challenges. 2️⃣ Create a problem worth solving – Don’t just dump information. Frame it as a challenge, mystery, or dilemma learners must navigate. 3️⃣ Use narrative-driven feedback – Instead of “Correct” or “Incorrect,” give responses that advance the story. Let learners see the consequences of their choices in a meaningful way. The best eLearning doesn’t just teach—it immerses. It makes learners feel something, and that’s what leads to real behavior change. Have you seen a great example of storytelling in training? Drop it in the comments! Let’s swap ideas. ⬇️

Visual storytelling just became a universal capability. If you lead teams, manage projects, or explain complex ideas - you just got a new superpower in your toolkit. Yesterday, I created an animated video about AI's history through a simple conversation with an AI agent. No design skills.  No video editing background.  Just natural language and the right tools. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗜 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 One agent. Multiple specialized models. One conversation. I described what I wanted to create, and the agent orchestrated three AI models as tools: → 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺: Generated high-quality visuals showing AI's evolution from the 1950s to today → 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Animated those images with natural motion and smooth transitions between eras   → 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗟𝗮𝗯𝘀: Created a human-like voiceover narrating the timeline The agent understood context across the entire workflow.  It coordinated the models.  It refined based on my feedback. The result? A polished, studio-quality animated video that would have required a creative team and weeks of coordination. Time invested: A few minutes.  Technical expertise required: Knowing how to describe what I wanted. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 Complex ideas demand compelling presentations. Technical concepts need accessible explanations. Great strategies deserve powerful narratives. You shouldn't need to outsource your voice because visualization felt out of reach. Whether you're a manager who never touched creative tools or a technical person who thought this "wasn't your thing" - that barrier just disappeared. That quarterly presentation about system architecture? Visualize it. The client pitch explaining your approach? Turn it into a story. The training content no one engages with? Bring it to life. The ability to create powerful narratives and visualize them just became ubiquitous. What would you communicate differently if visual storytelling was as simple as having a conversation?

Your breakthrough post is hiding in plain sight. But you can't see it. Why? Because you're too busy chasing the next big thing to notice the goldmine of content right under your nose. Every day, you're: -Solving unique problems -Having breakthrough conversations -Overcoming specific challenges -Witnessing industry shifts firsthand Yet when it comes to sharing insights, you draw a blank. Here's the brutal truth: You're experiencing more than enough. You're just not extracting the value. The root cause? A chronic lack of reflection. In our hyper-connected world, we've lost the art of deep thinking. We mistake information consumption for insight generation. But they're not the same. Real, share-worthy insights come from: -Experience -Reflection -Analysis -Application Most founders nail the first part but neglect the rest. Want to break this cycle? Here's your action plan: 1️⃣ Daily Debrief (10 minutes): • What surprised you today? • What challenged your assumptions? • What problem did you solve differently? 2️⃣ Weekly Deep Dive (30 minutes): • Analyse your biggest win and loss • Identify patterns across client interactions • Question one 'industry standard' practice 3️⃣ Monthly Reflection (1 hour): • Review your journey's trajectory • Identify emerging trends in your work • Craft "What if..." scenarios for your industry 4️⃣ Insight Extraction: • For every reflection session, write down 3 potential post ideas • Look for counterintuitive findings • Connect dots between seemingly unrelated events 5️⃣ Content Creation: • Choose the most compelling insight • Start with a strong hook (challenge a common belief) • Share your unique perspective • Provide actionable takeaways Remember: Your experiences are your competitive advantage. No one else has lived your exact journey. By reflecting deeply, you're not just creating content. You're: -Accelerating your own growth -Providing immense value to your audience -Positioning yourself as a thought leader Stop overlooking your own goldmine of insights. Start mining your experiences. Reflect. Analyse. Share. Your audience is waiting for the unique value only you can provide. The next game-changing post isn't out there. It's within you. All you need to do is dig it out.

If you're not obsessed with your content, no one else will be either. I don't care what you're making - a marketing sizzle, product explainer, how-to video, or testimonial. If you don't have a deep, almost irrational connection to the story you're telling, it's going to fall flat. I'm always thinking about my story. Rewriting scripts in my head. Sitting with the idea for days, asking myself: "How can I make this more dynamic?" "What's missing?" "Where's the soul?" Because here's the truth: Every story I create has to become part of my soul. That sounds dramatic, but I'm serious. For it to actually work - for it to be successful and move people - it has to become part of me first. I have to live with it, breathe it, dream about it until I know exactly why it matters. Your explainer video about software features? If you haven't obsessed over the story beats, if you haven't found the human element that makes people care, it's just another boring demo that dies at 15 seconds. Your case study testimonial? If you don't feel the transformation in your bones - the real struggle, the breakthrough moment, the life change - how can you expect your audience to feel it? Content has to be provocative. Not controversial, but provocative in the sense that it provokes something real in people. The best content feels inevitable. Like it HAD to be made. Like the story was burning inside you until you let it out. That's the energy you need to bring, whether you're filming a CEO testimonial or a product demo. Make content that becomes part of your soul. Everything else is just noise. #ContentCreation #Storytelling #VideoProduction #ContentPassion #StoryObsession