As designers of web applications, it's vital that we understand and incorporate the user's context when considering how to provide the best experience for them. The user's context is the situation and mindset they're in while trying to accomplish a goal. By developing scenarios or stories to describe the real life situations users are in, you will begin to understand what they want and need for a given time and place. I will show you a simple yet profound exercise to remove the mystery from your process. This exercise will provide valuable insight as you determine the best experience to provide for the user to help them accomplish their goals. Understanding the context scenarios of the people using your product will directly impact what content and functionality you serve them

1. Creating Context Scenarios
@pablohart

3. 7 Atoms
4 days
Columbus, Ohio

5. Overview

6. Empathize with users, their
needs, and their aspirations

7. Design an experience
around key moments

8. Documentation
is the result of conversation

9. Don’t get caught up in having
the perfect process

10. Zoom out

11. http://spin.atomicobject.com/author/pablohart

12. Define the
Problem Statement

13. Problem Statement
We are going to provide __________________
(a product or experience)
in order to _____________________
(produce a result or benefit)
for __________________
(a person or group)

14. The Disney experience

15. Individual Presentations

16. Do Guerilla Research

17. Persona
Definition

18. With Real
Users

19. Keep re-introducing personas
throughout entire process

20. Product Visionary
Team Members
Teacher
Get out of the building!

21. Tell the
Overarching Narrative

22. What?
A Story

23. A Story
Moments in time
the user has with
the product or service

24. Why?
Stories bring consensus
product developer designer user
owner

25. How?
Tell stories about the future
improving someone’s life

26. Defining
Narrative

27. Amy Susan
JOBS AND EVENTS STORYBOARD
Who: Junior in high school Who: WhoAmI guide
Where: Hudsonville What: Office manager
When: Winter semester Where: Local vet clinic
Amy wants to get a summer job, but During a visit with the school She finds a list of jobs on WhoAmI. Somewhat dissapointed, she asks to Meanwhile, Susan the office manager Susan assembles a job profile seeking
would rather not work at McDonald’s counselor, she shares her passion for However, the only jobs available are be notified about new jobs that match at a nearby vet clinic realizes her someone interested in working with
where she worked last year. animals. The counselor points her too far away from her house, and she her interests. summer workload is going to be animals at the vet clinic.
to WhoAmI. doesn’t have reliable transportation. bigger than normal and could use
some help.
Susan then shares the job with her Later, Amy receives a notice with She looks at the details of the clinic Susan and Amy meet and the job is Amy’s excited for her new job and Now that the job is filled, Susan marks
mentees in WhoAmI. a few jobs that match her interests, job and decides it is a good fit for offered to Amy. happy it’s not at McDonald’s! it complete on the profile.
including Susan’s job posting. her. She contacts Susan to convey her
interest in the job.

28. Create Context Scenarios

29. What?
Scenarios that describe the
enhanced future of a user

30. Why?
Uncovers the motivations, desires
& outcomes of using the product
product developer designer user
owner

31. How?
Before, during & after

33. Goals
Sketches
6 min. Timer

34. Individual Presentations

35. Then what?
Identify key activities

36. Business User
Goals Needs
Key activity = A Transaction

38. Prototype

39. Creating Context Scenarios
@pablohart