SCQA Storytelling Model
A narrative framework: Situation, Complication, Question, Answer for persuasive communication.
Also known as: SCQA framework, Minto SCQA, Situation-Complication-Question-Answer
Category: Frameworks
Tags: communications, storytelling, frameworks, persuasion, presentations
Explanation
SCQA is a storytelling framework for structuring persuasive communication, developed from Barbara Minto's Pyramid Principle. It creates compelling narratives by establishing context before presenting solutions. The four elements: Situation - establish the context everyone agrees on. Set the scene with facts and shared understanding that the audience will recognize and accept. Complication - introduce what has changed or what's wrong. This creates tension and engages the audience by showing why the current state is problematic. Question - the question that naturally arises from the complication. What should we do? How do we solve this? The audience should be mentally asking this before you answer. Answer - your solution, recommendation, or main message. This is what you want them to take away, positioned as the answer to their now-burning question. Why SCQA works: it follows natural narrative patterns (setup, conflict, resolution), builds engagement (audience wants to know the answer), and makes recommendations feel inevitable rather than imposed. Applications: presentations, proposals, memos, and any persuasive communication. For knowledge workers, SCQA provides: a reliable structure for making cases, a way to turn analysis into story, and a framework that makes complex information accessible and compelling.
Related Concepts
← Back to all concepts