CST3380 Week 5 Notes: Personas and User Experience

CST3380 Week 5: Personas and User Experience

Overview

  • Introduction to themes related to personas and the importance of user experience in product design.

  • A case study on Olivia Jones used to illustrate user persona characteristics, goals, and habits.

Case Study: User Persona - Olivia Jones

  • Name: Olivia Jones

  • Age: 26

  • Location: London, UK

  • Marital Status: Single

  • Children: None

  • Living Situation: 2-bedroom apartment with roommate Julie Plasseti

  • Occupation: IT Specialist

  • Salary: £65,000

  • Education: Bachelor's degree

  • Hobbies and Interests:

    • Devoted gamer, owning electronics such as:

    • PS5

    • Xbox 1080

    • Powerful desktop computer

  • Device Usage:

    • Android phone

    • Laptop/desktop

  • Daily Activities:

    • Plays board games

    • Works 8 AM - 6 PM

    • Engages in video games at night

Habits and Behaviors

  • Forgetful with electronic devices, often leaves them running unnecessarily.

  • Keeps air conditioning running continuously in summer to mitigate heat from electronics.

  • Motivators:

    • Concerned about her roommate overpaying for utilities.

    • Awareness that prolonged usage of electronics can affect their longevity.

Goals

  • Lower monthly utility bills.

  • Reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency.

Agenda for the Session

  1. Definition of Personas

  2. Steps to Create Personas

  3. Behavioral Variables and Finding Patterns

  4. Elements of Personas

Understanding Personas

  • Definition:

    • Personas are fictional characters representing different user types created based on research.

    • They encapsulate user needs, experiences, behaviors, and goals which aid in understanding user diversity.

    • Help designers empathize with users and recognize varied expectations and requirements.

Importance of Personas

  • Assist in the development of user-centered products and solutions.

  • Facilitate effective communication of user experience needs to stakeholders, designers, and developers.

Steps to Construct Personas (According to Alan Cooper)

  1. Identify Behavioral Variables

    • Types of variables to assess include:

      • Activities: Frequency and volume of user interactions.

      • Attitudes: User thoughts towards the product domain and technology.

      • Aptitudes: Education and training related to the product.

      • Motivations: User engagement reasons.

      • Skills: User capabilities in relation to technology and product.

  2. Map Interview Subjects to Behavioral Variables

    • Align each interviewee with identified behavioral variables.

    • Approximate positioning suffices, precision is not critical.

  3. Identify Significant Behavior Patterns

    • Look for clusters of users across variables.

    • Focus on subjects clustering across 6-8 different behavioral variables to develop significant patterns for personas.

  4. Synthesize Characteristics and Goals

    • Goals derived from behavior patterns should relate directly to the designed product.

    • Personas should have 3-5 end goals listed.

  5. Check for Completeness and Redundancy

    • Evaluate if all important aspects are covered in the personas.

    • Identify and eliminate redundant personas.

  6. Expand Description of Attributes and Behaviors

    • Narrative should be concise (1-2 pages), detailing:

      • Job and lifestyle.

      • Key characteristics.

      • Personal story or daily routine.

      • User goals related to the product.

    • At this stage, avoid exploring design thinking.

    • Attach images to enhance persona realism.

  7. Designate Persona Types

    • Primary Personas: Target users for the design interface.

    • Secondary Personas: Users with needs that can mostly be met by primary personas but not prioritized.

    • Additional distinctions of personas as referenced in Cooper's works.

Components of Effective Personas

  • Attributes to include:

    • Name, age, gender, and an image/visual representation.

    • Tagline summarizing what the persona does or their relevance.

    • Experience and relevant skills regarding the product or service.

    • Contextual information on interaction frequency and device usage.

    • Goals, attitudes, and concerns regarding the product or service.

    • Quotes or scenarios reflecting persona attitudes, including previous product experiences.

Example Personas

  • Belinda the Biker:

    • Attributes: Environmentalist, nature lover.

    • Concerns: Deteriorating trails and safety hazards.

    • Goals: Enjoying nature.

  • Jack (The Authentic):

    • Age: 45

    • Occupation: Operations/Support

    • Family Status: Married

    • Location: Seattle, WA

    • Motivations: Designer products, eco-friendly practices, personalization.

    • Frustrations: Confusing user experience leading to increased support tickets.

  • Alex Reulier (The Creator):

    • Age: 28

    • Occupation: Writer/Editor

    • Location: Beijing, China

    • Goals: Finding new friends, overcoming loneliness.

    • Pain Points: Incompatibility of existing dating apps with his needs.

Next Steps

  • Upcoming lesson to focus on deriving themes, epics, and user stories from the developed personas.