Designing with Scenarios: Putting Personas to Work

This was written for UI22, last year’s UI Conference. If you want to attend this year’s UI Conference. Check out the presenters for UI23.

This article is an excerpt from the podcast that Kim Goodwin recorded after her virtual seminar, Designing with Scenarios: Putting Personas to Work. You can hear the full podcast or read the transcript on the UIE podcast network.

Adam Churchill: Is it a true that scenarios only work if you have have data-driven personas? Have you seen scenarios used effectively, even if the research can’t be funded?

Kim Goodwin: Great question. I think that you can do scenarios without data.

It’s better to have data if you can because it has a few benefits. One is, you’re more confident that you’re getting to a good answer. And it makes it a lot easier to make design decisions because instead of wondering how a person would react, you actually know. This is assuming you know them well.

Think of it like you’re planning an event, or buying a gift for someone close to you, versus, say, buying a gift for your child’s teacher or an acquaintance you don’t know well.

The first one is a whole lot easier than the second one, and data gives you the confidence that you’re doing the right thing. Secondly, the data helps you…