Persona-based design, documentation and testing?

[Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>]

Chris Borokowski reports: <<Instead of designing the UI around the  
system's evolving internal functions, the UI is instead designed  
around a discrete set of user goals. The persona shapes the UI  
design, because at each stage in the scenario you'd ask: "What would  
Alice do next?" or "How would she respond to this?"... http:// 
www.regdeveloper.co.uk/2007/09/20/persona_analysis/
The first part of the article is muddled, but when it picks up steam  
it makes a good point about how we think about the users we code for  
or write for.>>

It's a very useful tool indeed, but why not go right to the source?  
Alan Cooper's team has done some of the seminal work on personas, and  
they've published a batch of useful articles on the topic: http:// 
www.cooper.com/insights/journal_of_design/articles/index.html

Also, check out Cooper's two books on the topic: "The Inmates are  
Running the Asylum" and "About Face 3". Highly recommended.


----------------------------------------------------
-- Geoff Hart
ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca / geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com
www.geoff-hart.com
--------------------------------------------------
***Now available***  _Effective onscreen editing_
(http://www.geoff-hart.com/home/onscreen-book.htm)


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.