Summary
The events and experiences of the last several years have exposed gaps in our awareness of - and practice around - connecting with people across the broadest range of human perspectives. Too often, as we've built services and complementary products, we have bypassed the hard questions around identity. To improve design decision-making, many organizations are using new approaches to ask a broader range of questions to more people. We'll discuss strategies for how to connect with the broadest range of people as well as how to represent insights that drive more inclusive design decision-making.
Key Insights
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Personas originated with Alan Cooper in 1996 to refocus teams on real user needs rather than developer assumptions.
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User behaviors and expectations have shifted dramatically post-pandemic, prompting organizations to evolve their personas more frequently.
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Context of use is a narrative framework that integrates behavioral, attitudinal, and empathic data to deepen understanding beyond demographics.
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Inclusive design benefits from considering intersectionality—persistent and situational identities that can affect user experience.
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Balancing the needs of the 80% majority and the 20% minority with unique challenges is critical for equitable product design.
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Public sector and nonprofits face significant resource constraints but often demonstrate creativity and stakeholder engagement in design.
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Participant storytelling and short, conversational empathy interviews yield richer insights than traditional surveys alone.
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Complementary tools like empathy maps, journey maps, and job-to-be-done frameworks enhance the alignment on user goals.
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Designing with context of use requires inclusive team diversity to overcome biases and assumptions shaped by personal experience.
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Digital transformation accelerated by the pandemic has increased demand for comprehensive persona and context data to inform product decisions.
Notable Quotes
"Alan Cooper first introduced personas in 1996 to make users the center of the conversation, helping teams focus on real needs instead of developer whims."
"We can’t think of everybody as one flat persona anymore; users have rich, intersectional identities that influence their experiences."
"Often, what helps the 20% with unique needs improves the experience for the entire 100%."
"Inclusive design is an additional layer that anticipates broad human perspectives, not just usability or accessibility alone."
"Sometimes you don’t need a deep interview; even quick anecdotes in casual chats provide rich, actionable insights."
"In the public sector, you design for everybody – it’s non-negotiable because you can’t pick a target demographic."
"Context of use helps you think through real barriers—like language, socio-economic status, or religious restrictions—that impact accessibility."
"Participatory action research is about designing alongside communities, not for them, giving them ownership over outcomes."
"Behavioral and attitudinal data combined with empathic stories provide a more complete picture than demographics alone."
"We’re moving toward integrating diverse needs into the MVP rather than treating them as optional add-ons."
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