1. Personas Versus Participatory Design In Software Development
University of South Carolina Summer Research Program
Lalique Gumbs-Prince
Advisor: Dr. John Bowles
National Science Foundation Grant

2. Objective
To explore and compare the benefits and flaws of the Participatory Design and Personas techniques.
Report the experience with personas in a collaborative setting. [Lady Buggin Design Team]

3. Introduction
Developing new software applications and products for consumers can be challenging for software development teams
The creation and use of personas, is a fairly new interaction design technique, is become increasingly popular among software development teams

4. The Concept and Characteristics of Personas
Personas are fictional archetypes of users created by designers and engineers
Characteristics of personas include
Names and ages
Likes, hobbies, and pet peeves
Ethnicity
Families and socioeconomic status
Goals and educational achievement

5. Uses of Personas Enhancing reality
Building scenarios and data collection
Guiding decisions with
Product features
Visual design
Navigation and interaction

6. The Participatory Design Approach in Software Development
Involves qualified users throughout the design process
Hypothesizes that good ideas come from the bottom up as well as from the top down
Involves prototyping and low fidelity mock ups

7. Uses of the Participatory Design Approach
Giving workers better tools
Helping qualified users to determine how to improve their skills or work life
Addressing information technology within the context of the workplace

8. L.B.D.T Experience with Personas
Developing a mobile application using J2ME
Creating three personas : 2 females and l male
2 secondary personas
1 primary persona
Choosing the correct primary persona
Once primary persona is pleased with the product, all potential users should be satisfied

9. Primary Persona: Eve 19 year-old Female from Austin, Texas
English Major
Reading, hanging with boyfriend, involved in campus clubs and activities.
Very punctual, outgoing, social, impatient, and motivated
Computer literacy and proficiency: Medium
Research, typing papers, news, and music for her IPOD
Cell phone use: High
Plays games for relaxation and calendar

10. Secondary Persona: Bill
48 year-old male from New York
Construction worker
Recovering alcoholic
2 kids from previous marriage and now remarried
Fishing, camping, bowling, watches TV (Sports and Westerns)
Computer literacy and proficiency: Low
Does not own a computer
Cell phone use: Medium
For emergencies, to call his wife, business use, and takeout food

11. Secondary Persona: Carey
12 year-old from Beverly Hills, California
Favorite Subject: Art
Private School Student in the 6th grade
Shops with her mother, plays tennis, does paintings and draws
Father: Movie Producer
Mother: Clothing Designer
Computer literacy and proficiency: High
Research, Designing (Art Related), Shopping, Chatting.
Cell phone use: High
Has the latest technology with phone
Games, organizer, and talking to her friends and family

12. Benefits of Creating Personas in the Software Development Process
Focuses on a specific target audience
Creates a strong focus on users and work contexts through the fictional setting
Enhances memory, attention, and organization of detailed user data through the power of narrative

13. Potential Flaws of Creating and Using Personas
Reuse
Inaccuracy
Creating the wrong persona
Sets the development process back

14. Benefits of the Participatory Design Approach
Benefits for the designers
Users more likely to accept the system
Designers know the needs of the user firsthand
Benefits for the participants (users)
Improves working skill
Influence changes technology
Both have a shared knowledge and understanding of this process

15. Potential Flaws of the Participatory Design Approach
Confidentiality
User limitations
Time

16. Conclusion
As research shows, the participatory design seems to lengthen the process of software development
As stated by Cooper, the personas technique “may take time to master", but are quick to develop.
Disagreements over design decisions can be sorted out by referring back to the agreed-upon personas

17. Acknowledgements
Cooper, Alan. (1999). The inmates are running the asylum. Macmillan
Calabria, Tina. (2004). The introduction to personas and how to create them.
Ehn, P. (1993). Scandinavian design: On participation and skill. Erlbaum
Team members include
Rob Jansen
LaShea Johnson
Carlos Rivera