Create a Storyboard with Microsoft Word
by Agatha Taormina

 

One easy  way to create a storyboard is to first create the storyboard using the drawing tools  in Microsoft Word.
To create a storyboard in this way:
  • Open a new file in Word.
  • Locate the drawing Toolbar at the bottom of the screen.
Drawing Toolbar
Note: if you cannot locate the drawing toolbar:
  • Choose View, Toolbars, from the main menu
  • Select Drawing
To create a storyboard, first create the boxes for your storyboard.

To create a box with the drawing toolbar, select AutoShapes, Flowchart, and the  shape of your choice in the pop-up menu. I chose the rectangle in the first row of shapes.

Flow Chart Menu

The shape will appear on your page.
  • You can change the proportion of the shape by selecting the shape, grabbing the small square at a corner or side of the shape with your cursor, and making the shape larger or smaller, wider or narrower, taller or shorter, as you prefer.
  • You can move the shape around on the page by clicking on the middle of the shape with your cursor. Your cursor will turn into a cross with which you can maneuver the shape wherever you wish.
Create as many shapes as you need, and place them where you wish.
To connect the shapes with lines to show the connection between the shapes:
  • Click on the Line button on the drawing toolbar
  • Click on the Line button again and drag it onto your page. Your cursor will turn into a cross.
  • Position the cross at the point where you want the line to start and drag the line to where you want the line to end.

Create as many lines as you need and connect them to your storyboard shapes.

Remember that you can reposition and/or resize any shape or line by clicking on it and moving it or resizing it with your cursor.

Line button
Line button

To add text to one of your shapes:
  • Right click on the shape. A pop-up menu will appear.
  • Choose Add Text.

 

Add Text Add Text

  • The shape will now be outlined in a text box
Text Box
  • Type your text in the shape.
  • Repeat this procedure to add text to the other shapes.
Once you have completed your storyboard, save your document as a web page.

Word will create a folder to contain the document. Inside that folder will be a .gif file.  That file is your actual storyboard.

Rename the file to reflect its content. Don't forget to add the .gif extension to the filename.

Now you can create a new web page file and insert the .gif file of your storyboard in that file.

You might eventually want to use image mapping to make each of your storyboard shapes a hot link to that particular page of your web site.

 

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Web Design Center Readings
Last Revised: February 12, 2004
© 
Agatha Taormina