This document discusses the importance of using personas when designing products and services for users. It provides an example of designing an app to help sexual assault victims on college campuses. The app development process is shown moving from an initial design approach focused on usability to a persona-driven approach that emphasizes understanding the perspectives and needs of the personas. The document concludes by reiterating that designers must step back, be objective and use personas rather than relying only on their own perspectives when creating products for users.

1. In the end…
YOU ARE NOT YOUR USER.
….EVEN WHEN YOU ARE.

2. persona
tool to get in your user’s
mindset

3. ―I’ve never been a big believer in personas.
They’re artificial, abstract, and fictitious.
I don’t think you can build a great product
for a person that doesn’t exist.‖
– Jason Fried, 37signals

4. SO, I’M A
& I WANT TO

5. TRIGGER
WARNING
Our customer
MEN CAN STOP RAPE

6. ―Immediate access to the information needed most in the event of
a sexual assault on one of DC’s eight college campuses —
quick, confidential, and free.‖
U-ASK

7. Initial design approach
SWIPE! TAP! ZOOM!

8. SO, I’VE
JUST BEEN
RAPED…

9. More Objectivity
(Less Empathy)

10. Sadly, easy to get that research….
RESEARCH-BASED

12. SO, BILLY
WAS
ASSAULTED
& HE WANTS
TO FILE A Add CAR
COMPLAINT Fix photo
…

13. Can I bring a friend
Is it too late to
with me?
Will people believe report this?
me?
Will they tell my It happened off campus;
parents? will my school really
care?
Persona-driven
CONTENT
What do I do now?

14. Persona-driven
COLORS

15. Persona-driven
INTERACTIONS

16. iPhone & Android apps
AGILE DEVELOPMENT

17. Roll-out
STUDENT ORIENTATION

18. RECEPTION

19. When this happens to
you...……
Step back.
Be objective.
Use personas.

20. Axiom
YOU ARE NOT YOUR USER