ditch the persona. user roles are better for design

HR Sally

World IA Day 2017

Goodbye Personas,Hello User Roles@johnmcree

+

@universalmind

JOHN MCREE

41Age

UX ArchitectOccupation

EngagedStatus

DenverLocation

Rogue• Call bullshit • Deliver the goods

Goals

• People making shit up • Busy work • Crap research

FrustrationsJohn is a Senior UX Architect at Universal Mind. He has almost 20 years of industry experience and co-authored “Effective UI: The Art of Building Great User Experience in Software”

MotivationsFind a better way

Getting to blatherExcuse to drink

Hugs

ExpertiseUX FacilitationUX EvangelismUX StrategyUser ResearchIAInteraction DesignVisual DesignPantsLunchGlitter Tattoos

FrameworksUSER-CENTERED DESIGN

NARRATIVE/STORYTELLING

DESIGN FOR USE

A user role is a collection of characteristic needs, interests, expectations, and behaviors in relationship to a particular

subset of tasks within system.

- Pruitt

“

Host

Server

Cocktail Server

Bartender

Club System

User Actors

R01: Reservation Scheduling Role

R02: Table Finding Role

R03: Seating Role

R05: Order Taking Role

R06: Order Filling Role

R04: Cashier Role

R04: Order Input Role

User Roles

Credit Card Network

Accounting System

Credit Card Reader

System Actors

Telephone Customer

In-person Customer

Indirect Users

• Overall job, workflow, or activity within which the role is played

• Physical environment in which the role is played

• Social situation in which the role is played

• Relationships with indirect users in the role

• External sources of information, such as paper forms, phone, email, visual observation, in-person interviews

• Background of role incumbents in terms of training, education, or experience

• System knowledge expected or required within role

• Domain knowledge expected or required within role

• Distribution of user skills in terms of novice, expert, and intermediate usage patterns

• Required or discretionary nature of role

Context

Context • Noisy club • Facing possible long queue of customers • Potential bottleneck in workflow • Some training expected

R01: Reservation Scheduling Role

2004, Constantine & Lockwood, LTD.

• Orientation, attitude, or emotional state typical within the role

• Frequency with which role is played

• Regularity with which role is played

• Intensity of interaction in the role

• Duration of interaction in the role

• Complexity of interaction in the role

• Volume of information handled in the role

• Direction of information flow to or from system

• I would add, criticality of role

CharacteristicsR01: Reservation Scheduling RoleCharacteristics • Frequent process that can be time

consuming • Accelerating pace as peak rush approaches


• Ease of learning

• Retention of learning

• Efficiency of interaction

• Reliability of interaction

• User satisfaction

• Enhancement of proficiency

• User convenience

• Accuracy of input

• Clarity of presentation

• Comprehensibility of presentation

• Safety from error or social repercussions

CriteriaR01: Reservation Scheduling RoleCriteria • Speed • Simplicity • Accuracy (cannot overbook) • Needs foolproof wait time estimates


• Functions • Features • Facilities • Capabilities • Content

ConsiderationsR01: Reservation Scheduling RoleConsiderations • Seating chart • Calendaring • Reservations times • Desktop or tablet


R01: Reservation Scheduling RoleContext Noisy club, facing possible long queue of customers, potential bottleneck in workflow, some training expected

Characteristics Frequent process that can be time consuming, accelerating pace as peak rush approaches

Criteria Speed, simplicity, accuracy (cannot overbook); needs foolproof wait time estimates

Considerations Seating chart, calendaring, reservations times, desktop or tablet

Fence-Sitting Current Member RoleContext Has established connection with org, possibly familiar with site; may be trying to quit or looking for reasons to either continue or bail out

Characteristics Ambivalent or skeptical attitude; casual, unpredictable behavior; low motivation to perform any task, unlikely to be in role more than once or often

Criteria Maximal odds of good experience, minimal bad; easy, convenient operation; offer easy alternatives to quitting

User roles are a more compact and concise representation that is more finely focused on issues with direct relevance

for visual and interaction design.

- Constantine

“

When empathy is lacking

Abstractions aren’t enough

Time and budget is sufficient

Personas & Scenarios

When effort is directly tied to payoff

Less experienced UX researchers

UX in an Agile workflow

User Roles

JOHN MCREE

41Age

UX ArchitectOccupation

EngagedStatus

DenverLocation

Rogue• Call bullshit • Deliver the goods

Goals

• People making shit up • Busy work • Crap research

FrustrationsJohn is a Senior UX Architect at Universal Mind. He has almost 20 years of industry experience and co-authored “Effective UI: The Art of Building Great User Experience in Software”

MotivationsFind a better way

Getting to blatherExcuse to drink

Hugs

ExpertiseUX FacilitationUX EvangelismUX StrategyUser ResearchIAInteraction DesignVisual DesignPantsLunchGlitter Tattoos

Thank you.

ditch the persona. user roles are better for design

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