Once Upon a Time Vision Framework
"One of the most powerful skills of a product manager is storytelling. Generation after generation, what people pass on are stories - not numbers, not stats. It's stories." - Ebi Atawodi
What It Is
A simple but powerful storytelling template for articulating product visions. Using the familiar structure of fairy tales, this framework forces clarity about the problem being solved and the transformation being created.
The template follows a narrative arc: establishing the status quo, introducing a change, and describing the new world that results. This structure is memorable, shareable, and helps align teams around a common understanding.
How It Works
The framework uses a fill-in-the-blank structure:
Once upon a time... [describe the original situation/problem]
And then... [additional context about the problem or how it evolved]
And because of that... [consequences of the problem]
And then one day... [the intervention/product/solution - you can include a date like "in 2026"]
And because of that... [first positive outcome]
And because of that... [cascading positive effect]
And finally... [the transformed state of the world - the dent in the universe]
How to Apply It
Start with the problem - What was the world like before? What pain existed?
Build the tension - How did the problem manifest? What were the consequences?
Introduce the change - What happened? What did you build or change?
Show the cascade - How does one positive change lead to another?
End with transformation - How did you leave people feeling? What changed in the world?
Example: YouTube Shorts (Illustrative)
Once upon a time, YouTube was fun and people had cat videos and all kinds of creative content.
And then one day, it became this really polished thing with a lot of one-hour, highly produced content.
And because of that, a lot of people felt maybe they couldn't create because they can't tell a one-hour story.
And because of that, people decided to just watch and consume instead of creating.
And then one day, we launched Shorts - 60 seconds.
And because of that, anyone can now express themselves again.
And finally, we brought back the joy and magic of YouTube where everyone has a voice.
Example: Uber Driver Loyalty (Actual Use Case)
Ebi first used this framework at Uber when developing the vision for driver loyalty programs. The structure helped communicate why drivers deserved recognition and what the world would look like when they felt valued by the platform.
When to Use It
- When you need to quickly communicate a vision to a new audience
- When developing a vision from scratch and need to force clarity
- In strategy sessions to align teams on the problem and solution
- When presenting to leadership and need a memorable narrative
- When onboarding new team members to the product vision
- When shipping a product - Ebi includes the vision in ship announcements to remind the team of what they set out to do
Tips for Success
Keep it simple - The power is in the simplicity. Don't overcomplicate.
Make it specific - "Cat videos" and "one-hour content" are concrete. Avoid abstractions.
Focus on feeling - The ending should evoke an emotional response about the changed world.
Use present tense for the future - "Anyone can now express themselves" - make the vision feel real.
Practice telling it without slides - As Steve Jobs said, "Tell the story without slides."
Source
- Guest: Ebi Atawodi
- Episode: "Crafting a compelling product vision | Ebi Atawodi (YouTube, Netflix, Uber)"
- Key Discussion: (00:15:59) - The storytelling framework
- YouTube: Watch on YouTube
Related Frameworks
- Hook-Middle-End Storytelling - Alternative narrative structure
- Strategic Narrative Framework - Broader narrative approach
- Four Elements of Vision - Criteria your vision should meet
- Empathize-Create-Evangelize - Where this framework fits in vision development