Definition
Storyboard
A one-page plan of an answer before it is written.
A storyboard is a planning document, usually one page per question, that sets out the intended structure, key messages, and evidence for a tender answer before any full prose is written. It is used to align the bid manager, subject-matter expert, and writer on content before time is spent drafting.
What goes on a storyboard
A storyboard sits between the raw question and the finished answer. It typically breaks the question into its component parts, notes the win theme that answer should reinforce, lists the evidence or examples to be used, and sketches the structure headings the final text will follow.
- The question, broken into every sub-part that must be answered
- The relevant evaluation criteria or marking guidance, if published
- The win theme(s) this answer should reinforce
- Proposed structure and headings for the final text
- Evidence, data, or examples to be used, and who will supply them
- Word count allocation across the sections
Why storyboarding saves time overall
Writing a full draft before agreeing structure and evidence often means large sections get rewritten once a reviewer or subject-matter expert points out a missing angle or a better example. A storyboard review catches those problems while the cost of change is still low — a bullet list, not three finished paragraphs.
On larger bids, storyboards also let a bid manager sign off content direction across many questions in parallel, rather than waiting for full drafts before spotting that several answers have drifted off the win themes.
When to skip it
For short, low-value, or highly familiar tenders where the answers are near-identical to previous submissions, a full storyboarding step can be unnecessary overhead. It earns its keep most clearly on complex, high-value, or unfamiliar bids where getting the structure wrong is expensive to fix late.
Frequently asked questions
- Who should write the storyboard, the bid manager or the subject-matter expert?
- Usually a collaboration: the bid manager or bid writer drafts the structure and links it to the win themes and evaluation criteria, while the subject-matter expert supplies the technical content and evidence to fill it in.
- How much time does storyboarding typically save?
- It varies by bid, but the general effect is shifting rework earlier and cheaper — catching structural or evidence gaps at planning stage rather than after a full draft has been written and needs substantial revision.
- Does a storyboard need sign-off before drafting starts?
- On larger or higher-value bids, yes — getting explicit agreement from the bid manager or client lead on structure and win themes before full drafting begins avoids wasted writing effort if the direction needs to change.
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