Static and Dynamic User Portraits

Abstract

User modeling and profiling has been used to evaluate systems and predict user behaviors for a considerable time. Models and profiles are generally constructed based on studies of users’ behavior patterns, cognitive characteristics, or demographic data and provide an efficient way to present users’ preferences and interests. However, such modeling focuses on users’ interactions with a system and cannot support complicated social interaction, which is the emerging focus of serious games, educational hypermedia systems, experience, and service design. On the other hand, personas are used to portray and represent different groups and types of users and help designers propose suitable solutions in iterative design processes. However, clear guidelines and research approaches for developing useful personas for large-scale and complex social networks have not been well established. In this research, we reflect on three different design studies related to social interaction, experience, and cross-platform service design to discuss multiple ways of identifying both direct users and invisible users in design research. In addition, research methods and attributes to portray users are discussed.

Customer journeys: a systematic literature review

“…Teixeira et al, 2012), it is noteworthy that the analyses reported in the reviewed papers typically concern experiences that are common or typical rather than individual or subjective (e.g. Baranova et al, 2011;Clatworthy, 2010;Huang et al, 2012;Johns and Clark, 1993;Mangiaracina et al, 2009;Rasila et al, 2009) based on data gathered at the level of individual customers and some, such as Crosier and Handford (2012), also report on example qualitative data from individual customers.…”

“…The journeys are typically visualized as processes spanning a number of steps, stages, touchpoints, or activities; as a horizontal line or row (11 papers, e.g. Bridge, 2012;Huang et al, 2012;Peterson et al, 2010) or a vertical line or column ( Johns and Clark, 1993;Rasila et al, 2009;Whittle and Foster, 1991). The visualizations were found to be augmented with diverse types of information such as customer emotions (e.g.…”

“…Bridge, 2012), 204 JSTP 28,2 customer requirements (e.g. Huang et al, 2012), and pain-points (e.g. Rasila et al, 2009).…”

“…Shaw and Williams, 2009;Holmlid, 2009, 2012 Trischler and Zehrer, 2012) or user experience (e.g. Huang et al, 2012;Mangiaracina et al, 2009). The customer journey perspective is often presented as a means to understand customer experience.…”

“…Baranova et al, 2011;Clatworthy, 2010;Huang et al, 2012;Johns and Clark, 1993;Mangiaracina et al, 2009;Rasila et al, 2009). For example, Huang et al (2012) present extended customer journey maps for different user types. The workshop-based service design method proposed by Clatworthy (2010) concerns the mapping and design of typical customer journeys for identified customer and actor constellations.…”