Personas are used across a wide variety of design specialties, from UX to Information Design to Industrial Design. They’re often a key deliverable of the discovery phase of most projects, and are used to inspire empathy in the minds of the people who will be designing for them.
But after the discovery phase, the personas often die. And they die without ceremony. No tears are shed, there’s no funeral; it’s rare that there’s even an acknowledgement of their passing.
For a tool that’s meant to create empathy, does this seem particularly non-empathic?
This talk explores the utility of personas as a part of the design process, and how we could perhaps use them differently. (This description is as morbid as it gets.)
16. “…they are that gut feeling you get during field research that tells you
there seem to be about X number of types of people and they seem
to be significantly different on these 4-5 characteristics/dimensions.”
— Todd Elliott, Adaptive Path
PROTO – PERSONAS
27. we tend to make personas that are
safe, comfortable, and familiar
28.
29. “Why are the poor people’s
pictures so much worse?”
30. “Why are the poor people’s
pictures so much worse?”
“Because these people
represent who we serve.”
31. “Why are the poor people’s
pictures so much worse?”
“Because these people
represent who we serve.”
“But why are the pictures of
everyone else stunning? If this
is how we view poor people
(scuzzy, dirty), it will come
across in our service to them –
which is just as valuable as to
the ‘good’ patrons.”
32. “Why are the poor people’s
pictures so much worse?”
“Because these people
represent who we serve.”
“But why are the pictures of
everyone else stunning? If this
is how we view poor people
(scuzzy, dirty), it will come
across in our service to them –
which is just as valuable as to
the ‘good’ patrons.”
39. I’m guilty about not using it
right, or not using it enough
Who I am is not captured
I feel “Othered”
I feel less important
All of these personas are
younger than me…does that
make me old?
40. I feel like I’m using something
that wasn’t really built for me
63. GOALS
Katie
25 years old
Female
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Political Science major
Registered independent
Drinks a latte every morning
Listens to Belle and Sebastian
Bikes to work
Wants to develop an A+ coffee palate
Loves meeting new people
64. Katie
25 years old
Female
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Political Science major
Registered independent
Drinks a latte every morning
Listens to Belle and Sebastian
Bikes to work
Wants to develop an A+ coffee palate
Loves meeting new people
To easily enter equipment updates
Keep track of when to order more
syrups, etc.
Find a job at a political theory
publication
65. Katie
25 years old
Female
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Political Science major
Registered independent
Drinks a latte every morning
Listens to Belle and Sebastian
Bikes to work
Wants to develop an A+ coffee palate
Loves meeting new people
To easily enter equipment updates
Keep track of when to order more
syrups, etc.
Find a job at a political theory
publication
66. 25 years old
Drinks a latte every morning
Wants to develop an A+ coffee palate
To easily enter equipment updates
Keep track of when to order more
syrups, etc.
67. 25 years old
Drinks a latte every morning
Wants to develop an A+ coffee palate
To easily enter equipment updates
Keep track of when to order more
syrups, etc.
iPhone 6 + Macbook Air
68. iPhone 6 + Macbook Air
Typically tired when getting into work
25 years old
Drinks a latte every morning
Wants to develop an A+ coffee palate
To easily enter equipment updates
Keep track of when to order more
syrups, etc.
69. iPhone 6 + Macbook Air
Typically tired when getting into work
Interested in different coffee properties
25 years old
Drinks a latte every morning
Wants to develop an A+ coffee palate
To easily enter equipment updates
Keep track of when to order more
syrups, etc.
70. use an iPhone 6 + Macbook Air
are typically tired when getting into work
are interested in different coffee properties
you want to easily enter equipment updates
you want to keep track of when to order more syrups, etc.
envision that you:
72. REFERENCES
Persona Non Grata, Dan Saffer, August 17 2005
Personas are "empathy tools," not stereotypes, Sam Ladner,
November 17 2008
A Closer Look At Personas: What They Are And How They Work (Part 1),
Shlomo Goltz, August 6 2014
Resurrecting Dead Personas, Meg Dickey-Kurdziolek, July 26 2016
Designing for imaginary friends: information architecture, personas and
the politics of user-centered design, Adrienne L. Massanari,
June 12 2010
Is stereotyping inevitable when designing with personas?,
Phil Turner and Susan Turner, July 27 2012
Crappy Personas vs. Robust Personas, Jared Spool, November 14 2007
The Inmates are Running the Asylum, Alan Cooper, January 1 1999
Ramya
@rams_mahalingam
