Is an individual more likely to learn by hearing a story? Is an individual more likely to learn by looking at visual patterns or models? Is an individual more likely to learn by doing something and problem solving along the way? Is an individual more likely to learn if they read something and/or write it down?
Or, really, is it the use of the variety of these methods to help learning stick by utilizing multiple approaches. That has been the camp I have tried to be in. So, for a training class, as we evaluate a course plan, we are looking for a variety of exercises that utilize these.
For project management and agile stories, I like the use of personas to help the team consider items from different user perspectives. For example, if Bill Smith wants to go in on a hunting lodge with his buddies but his wife Delores doesn’t want him to spend the money on it, they have different needs. The use of these visual characters and stories help us to analyze situations and create iterations. It is a combination of these styles which may or may not be why it helps in the communication or “learning” that happens during a project.