William H. Bowers – [email protected] Modeling Users: Personas and Goals Cooper 5

William H. Bowers – [email protected] H. Bowers – [email protected]

Modeling Users:Modeling Users:Personas and GoalsPersonas and Goals

Cooper 5Cooper 5


TopicsTopics Why Model?Why Model? PersonasPersonas Personas as a Design ToolPersonas as a Design Tool Personas vs. User RolesPersonas vs. User Roles Personas vs. Market SegmentsPersonas vs. Market Segments User vs. Non-User PersonasUser vs. Non-User Personas


TopicsTopics GoalsGoals User GoalsUser Goals Non-User GoalsNon-User Goals Constructing PersonasConstructing Personas Persona TypesPersona Types Other ModelsOther Models Questions & DiscussionQuestions & Discussion


Why Model?Why Model? Represent complex structures, Represent complex structures,

relationshipsrelationships Increased understanding, Increased understanding,

visualizationvisualization Based on raw, observed behaviorBased on raw, observed behavior Synthesize data patternsSynthesize data patterns


PersonasPersonas Help identify specific users and Help identify specific users and

needsneeds Identify primary, secondary usersIdentify primary, secondary users Helps choose the right individuals Helps choose the right individuals

to design forto design for


Personas as a Design Personas as a Design ToolTool Identify what the product should doIdentify what the product should do Determine a product’s behaviorDetermine a product’s behavior Facilitates communication with Facilitates communication with

stakeholdersstakeholders Builds consensus and commitmentBuilds consensus and commitment Measures design effectivenessMeasures design effectiveness


Personas as a Design Personas as a Design ToolTool Contributes to marketing and Contributes to marketing and

salessales Help resolveHelp resolve

– Elastic userElastic user– Self-referential designSelf-referential design– Design edge casesDesign edge cases


The Elastic UserThe Elastic User Each designer has own idea of Each designer has own idea of

end userend user User definition becomes elastic to User definition becomes elastic to

fit designerfit designer Real users are not elasticReal users are not elastic


Self-Referential DesignSelf-Referential Design Designers project own goals onto Designers project own goals onto

productproduct We tend towards technology for We tend towards technology for

it’s own sakeit’s own sake


Design Edge CasesDesign Edge Cases Possible situationsPossible situations Usually not experienced by target Usually not experienced by target

personaspersonas Must be programmed forMust be programmed for Not the design focusNot the design focus


Personas are Based on Personas are Based on ResearchResearch Interviews with usersInterviews with users Information from stakeholdersInformation from stakeholders Information from SMEsInformation from SMEs Market research dataMarket research data Market segmentation modelsMarket segmentation models Literature reviewsLiterature reviews


Personas are RepresentedPersonas are Representedas Individualsas Individuals User models treated as actual User models treated as actual

individualsindividuals Represented as specific individualsRepresented as specific individuals Considered as real usersConsidered as real users Represent classes of users in Represent classes of users in

contextcontext Context specificContext specific


Personas are RepresentedPersonas are Representedas Individualsas Individuals Not reusable across productsNot reusable across products Not archetypes or stereotypesNot archetypes or stereotypes Do not represent an average userDo not represent an average user Represent user examplesRepresent user examples May have a collection or cast of May have a collection or cast of

personas for a productpersonas for a product


Personas vs. User RolesPersonas vs. User Roles Some similaritiesSome similarities

– Seek to describe relationships of Seek to describe relationships of users to productsusers to products

Roles are abstractionsRoles are abstractions Personas address goalsPersonas address goals Personas are more holistic modelsPersonas are more holistic models


Personas vs. Market Personas vs. Market SegmentsSegments Market segments are based on Market segments are based on

– DemographicsDemographics– Distribution channelsDistribution channels

Personas are based onPersonas are based on– BehaviorsBehaviors– GoalsGoals


User vs. Non-User User vs. Non-User PersonasPersonas Non-user personas includeNon-user personas include

– Product reviewersProduct reviewers– ColumnistsColumnists– IT ManagersIT Managers– Purchasing agentsPurchasing agents

Driven by business goalsDriven by business goals


GoalsGoals Drivers behind user behaviorsDrivers behind user behaviors Addressed via tasksAddressed via tasks Provide answers to product usage Provide answers to product usage

motivationmotivation Inferred from qualitative dataInferred from qualitative data Expressed as simple sentenceExpressed as simple sentence


Types of GoalsTypes of Goals First priority in designFirst priority in design Goals may be different for:Goals may be different for:

– OrganizationsOrganizations– EmployersEmployers– CustomersCustomers– PartnersPartners– End usersEnd users


User GoalsUser Goals Life goalsLife goals

– Become an expert in my fieldBecome an expert in my field– Get promoted quicklyGet promoted quickly– Exhibit ethics and trustExhibit ethics and trust


User GoalsUser Goals Experience goalsExperience goals

– Don’t feel stupidDon’t feel stupid– Minimize or eliminate mistakesMinimize or eliminate mistakes– Feel competent and confidentFeel competent and confident– Enjoy the product’s useEnjoy the product’s use


User GoalsUser Goals End goalsEnd goals

– Find the best price for a productFind the best price for a product– Finalize a press releaseFinalize a press release– Process customer ordersProcess customer orders– Create softwareCreate software


Non-User GoalsNon-User Goals CustomerCustomer

– Parents, relatives, friendsParents, relatives, friends– IT Managers, purchasers, IT Managers, purchasers,

managementmanagement SecuritySecurity MaintenanceMaintenance CustomizationCustomization InstallationInstallation


Non-User GoalsNon-User Goals CorporateCorporate

– Increase profitIncrease profit– Increase market shareIncrease market share– Defeat competitionDefeat competition– Use resources efficientlyUse resources efficiently– Offer more products or servicesOffer more products or services


Non-User GoalsNon-User Goals Technical goalsTechnical goals

– Minimize memory useMinimize memory use– Run in a browserRun in a browser– Safeguard dataSafeguard data– Execute efficientlyExecute efficiently– Cross platform usage/consistencyCross platform usage/consistency


Constructing PersonasConstructing Personas Incorporate information aboutIncorporate information about

– GoalsGoals– AttitudesAttitudes– Work or activity flowWork or activity flow– EnvironmentEnvironment– Skills and levelsSkills and levels– FrustrationsFrustrations


Constructing PersonasConstructing Personas Revisit the personal hypothesisRevisit the personal hypothesis Map interviews to behavioral variablesMap interviews to behavioral variables Identify significant behavior patternsIdentify significant behavior patterns Synthesize characteristics and goalsSynthesize characteristics and goals Check for completenessCheck for completeness Develop narrativesDevelop narratives Designate typesDesignate types


Revisit The Personal Revisit The Personal HypothesisHypothesis Compare patterns to assumptionsCompare patterns to assumptions Do not focus on demographicsDo not focus on demographics Behavioral variables are Behavioral variables are

paramountparamount 15 – 30 variables per role are 15 – 30 variables per role are

typicaltypical


Map Interviews To Map Interviews To Behavioral VariablesBehavioral Variables Map interviewee against variable Map interviewee against variable

rangerange Precision is not criticalPrecision is not critical Relative placement is the goalRelative placement is the goal


Mapping Subjects to Mapping Subjects to VariablesVariables


Identify Significant Identify Significant Behavior PatternsBehavior Patterns Clustering of subjects may ID Clustering of subjects may ID

personapersona Clustered behaviors must be Clustered behaviors must be

causalcausal


Synthesize Characteristics Synthesize Characteristics And Relevant GoalsAnd Relevant Goals Describe such things asDescribe such things as

– Potential use environmentPotential use environment– Typical workdayTypical workday– Current solutionsCurrent solutions– Frustrations with existing systemsFrustrations with existing systems– Relevant relationships with othersRelevant relationships with others


Check For CompletenessCheck For Completeness Merge or separate personasMerge or separate personas Fill in gapsFill in gaps Insure distinctness and Insure distinctness and

completenesscompleteness


Develop NarrativesDevelop Narratives Third person narrativeThird person narrative One to two pagesOne to two pages Not a short storyNot a short story Introduces personaIntroduces persona Sketches a day in the lifeSketches a day in the life Expresses personas product Expresses personas product

expectationsexpectations


Designate TypesDesignate Types Primary PersonasPrimary Personas Secondary PersonasSecondary Personas Supplemental PersonasSupplemental Personas Customer PersonasCustomer Personas Served PersonasServed Personas Negative PersonasNegative Personas


Primary PersonasPrimary Personas Primary target for interface designPrimary target for interface design Multiple interfaces for multiple Multiple interfaces for multiple

primary personas are possibleprimary personas are possible Not satisfied by designs targeted Not satisfied by designs targeted

to any other personato any other persona Compare goals of different Compare goals of different

personaspersonas


Secondary PersonasSecondary Personas May be satisfied by 1 or 2 May be satisfied by 1 or 2

additionsadditions Address needs without impeding Address needs without impeding

primaryprimary Typically, 0 - 2Typically, 0 - 2


Supplemental PersonasSupplemental Personas Satisfied by primary personas’ Satisfied by primary personas’

interfaceinterface May be peripheral stakeholdersMay be peripheral stakeholders


Customer PersonasCustomer Personas Not end usersNot end users Treated a secondaryTreated a secondary May be primary personasMay be primary personas


Served PersonasServed Personas Not product usersNot product users Directly affected by product’s useDirectly affected by product’s use Served by interfaceServed by interface


Negative PersonasNegative Personas Non-usersNon-users Purely rhetoricalPurely rhetorical Communicates who is not the Communicates who is not the

design targetdesign target


Other ModelsOther Models Workflow or sequence reflectWorkflow or sequence reflect

– Process initiationProcess initiation– Information produced and consumedInformation produced and consumed– DecisionsDecisions– ActionsActions


Other ModelsOther Models Artifact modelsArtifact models

– Online or paper formsOnline or paper forms– Capture commonalities and Capture commonalities and

differencesdifferences– Useful to ID best practicesUseful to ID best practices

Physical modelsPhysical models– Focus on layoutFocus on layout


Questions & DiscussionQuestions & Discussion

Documents

William H. Bowers – [email protected] Modeling Users: Personas and Goals Cooper 5