Assignment 2

Persona Research

We conduct user research to understand user behaviors, needs, and motivations through observation techniques, task analysis, and other feedback methodologies to produce measurable and actionable results. The data from user research is analysed and patterns are discovered that help identify personas. This methodology helps narrow down a large number of users in a few, manageable personas that make it easier to design for.

For this assignment, you will continue to work with your group to interview people representing the target market of your product, analyze the data and identify one primary and one secondary persona.

The Goal of Persona (user) Research

As you conduct your persona research you should aim to answer:

WHO are you designing for?
WHAT are their goals?
WHY will they use your app?
WHERE, WHEN and HOW do they perform tasks?
WHAT are the PROBLEMS with the current way they complete their tasks?

Instructions

Identify your users for the primary and secondary persona
Discuss who you will interview and how to access these users
Decide what questions to ask
Review and customize the persona research spreadsheet
Decide what you need to know about your users (for example, demographic info., etc)
Make adjustments to the spreadsheet: remove columns that are irrelevant to your project, add others that you need, or rename existing ones
Set up calls or meetings with the people whom you will interview
Begin your interviews

#1. Identify your users for the primary and secondary persona Access traditional market research data (if available):

Established user base:
- Get existing demographics data
If no existing demographics data, survey current users
- No user base (new company/product)
- Research users of your competitors or similar companies, products or services

#2. Decide What To Ask A sample script

OVERVIEW
DOMAIN KNOWLEDGE
GOALS
ATTITUDES AND MOTIVATIONS
PROCESSES
ENVIRONMENT
PAIN POINTS
TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY
MENTAL MODELS
PROJECTING INTO THE FUTURE
WRAPPING UP

#3. Decide How To Ask – Individual Interviews Tips:

Ask primarily open-ended questions.
Ask participants to show more than tell.
Ask participants to describe current/past experiences, not imagine future states
Ask for specific stories, especially about anything you can’t observe.
Some good questions to ask:
- “Can you tell me about how you/your family currently does X?”
- “Can you tell me about your most recent experience doing X?”
- “Can you tell me some of the tools and resources you used?”
- “Can you tell me why this is important?” (goals)
- “Can you describe any frustrating experiences you have had with X?”
- “I notice you [did something] - can you explain that to me?”
- At the end: “Do you have any questions for me?”

#4. Get access to users

Each member conduct at least 3 interviews for your PRIMARY persona
NOTE: YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GATHERING DATA ON YOUR SECONDARY PERSONA. IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES WILL WALK YOU THROUGH ALL THE STEPS REQUIRED, FOCUSED ON THE PRIMARY PERSONA. FOLLOW THE SAME STEPS FOR THE SECONDARY PERSONA.
- Primary user persona - the browser/consumer (info seeker) of the service/program
- Secondary user persona - the poster/deliverer (info provider) of the service/program

#5. Conduct your interviews to collect data – Things to remember:

Try to keep it to 10-15 mins max
Prepare a set of questions, AND follow-up probes
Do a dry-run (with each other) to make sure that:
- the questions make sense
- are in a logical order
- the interview won’t run too long/short

Each team member runs the interview with 3 people.

Have a note-taker with you, so you can focus on facilitating the interview. ( Or, use zoom and record their voice. Ensure you get their consent first!)
Get user permission in the Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA example)(opens new window)

Submission

Open BS LMS and go to the Activities > Assignments page. Go to Persona Research. On the assignment page in BS LMS, provide a png with your group research combined.