Interactive media processes

User experience design model

User personas: Have been integrated with in user experience documentation since the mid 90s. They’re fictional users that are representatives of our real users. We can reference during our creative process to inform and validate our design and user experience. A user persona is a representation of our goals and a hypothesis of users.

Personas are synthesised from data collected from interviews from real users. Captured in one to two pages of descriptions. That includes, behavioural patterns, goals, skills, attitudes, environment and context. More than one persona is created but one persona should be the main focus when creating your design.

Large vs small audience

Large: A universal design is a concept your designing for virtually any and all people. You must focus on your core audience when designing your product. Then hope for your fringe audience to still use your product or service.

Small: Can be tempted not to develop personas but this allows a more detailed representation of your personas. Utilise research to gain more detail and use across more projects which can push your designs up to a new level. Getting feedback from personas can bring to light new ideas that you have not considered and can further inform your personas.

When developing personas

Mental models

Illustrate how your user approaches a particular problem. It unveils the expectation of users and can model your design. Your able to check if your flow is correct in your design.

Artefact personas

Apply personas to the project or product. This is a way of thinking about the proposed visual design of the product and what it communicates. This can be most useful for meetings. This gives everyone a concept of the design and allows it to greater influence the end design.

Experience key words: Reoccurring words during interview. This governs key words that will define and determine the core set of visual strategy in the design.

Voice mapping is another way of creating a design that represents your audience.