On March 1, 2008, Todd posted this entry in Design, User Experience, Interaction, Interface, Development, methods.
At work, we’re always looking for ways to better bring personas to the creatives and the developers. One idea that we’ve been tossing around is a physical moodboard for personas. I’m calling this the Stage.
The stage is a lo-fi, physical space where personas are built and refined. It is designed to evolve and to be a work in progress. Implemented, it resembles a mood board for personas.
Carrying a deep respect for the user throughout a project’s development is critical to user experience design. Knowing who we are designing for is the responsibility of all project members. Much of the information known about the users is contained within the minds of the UX designers. The product– formal persona documents– often do not communicate the research and insights that underpin them. Often, they lack the vivacity needed for others to empathize with the users they represent. Further, they don’t easily engage other parties in the research and design process.
Much of the information that describes the user is secondary to the persona. Quotes, thoughts, misgivings, apprehensions help develop the persona but can be overly summarized to make a tight, succinct document.
Additionally, personas don’t easily invite serendipity and evolution. Research doesn’t stop once a persona document is delivered. As time progresses, inevitably designers better understand users’ behaviors and desires. The Stage invites these small bits of information in an unstructured way. It encourages discussion, change and evolution. Viewers are able to respond to these artifacts and discuss the inferences and conclusions that are drawn.
As a physical space, the Stage asserts itself and demands attention. Permanence and visibility are key to its success. It needs to occupy a space that receives constant foot traffic and where close inspection is encouraged. As a dedicated space, it invites asynchronous interaction where people can respond to it on their own time.
The Stage requires simple ingredients. Foremost is a space to place the material. It should be waist to chest high and (for us) at least 4’ x 4’. The surface should be a surface that can be written on: butcher paper, a whiteboard or similar. Nearby should be a steady supply of post it notes, markers and tape. Materials added to the Stage include screenshots, pictures, quotes, brief bios, research findings and diagrams.
A visitor should be able to glance at it and assemble an idea of the persona without reading a lengthy document. People may feel free to add and remove items from a persona as they see fit. Questions may be added to the board for other designers to react to. Generally, the Stage should resemble a work in progress; it should not appear overly structured or precious. Staying orderly and presentable can discourage others from adding their own input.
The Stage is not a replacement for personas. It exists as a shared sketchbook, the results of which are formalized into the persona documents. During the development cycle, it is a continual reference point for all members of the project team. For people outside the project—clients, visitors, for example—the Stage is a demonstration of user-centered design. It indicates how we involve the user in our approach and serves as a discussion point to further evangelize the need for understanding the user. Succinctly, the Stage helps make the research process more transparent.
The name “stage” was borne of two ideas that are relevant to the concept. From theater, the stage connotes a place where characters are presented to an audience. The Stage can also be defined as an intermediate place where concepts are still being explored and refined. Both invoke the spirit and goals of the Stage.
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