To: John Monberg

To: John Monberg

From: Tyler Smeltekop

Date: 10/31/2007

Re: Persona project analysis and integration

Critical Steps

Redesigning a website is no easy task: it requires hindsight as well as foresight, combined with qualitative and quantitative inquiries, research, and analysis. Before any mockups or wireframes can begin to be drafted, serious thought has to go into what works well, and what the site failed to accomplish. In order to assess these things, goals need to be created and target user groups need to be identified.

As I’ve diagrammed above, there are considerations that need to be made simultaneously: of what my purpose of the site is, and who I want to see the site. After analyzing these aspects, goals can be formed as to what the site needs to accomplish, both for the user and myself. These goals will guide determinations of what content is most important, and how best to present it. Information architecture is essentially the analysis of how content will shape the layout of the site, which leads into the last examination to be made: structure and aesthetics. These components represent the result of all the previous considerations, and the redesign can be considered successful if it fulfills the goals made.

Beginning Stages

This project encapsulates the first two stages, purpose, audience, and goal formation. The site that currently exists at www.fierce137.com was designed to serve as more than just a portfolio, but also a website for myself. The main goal here was to brand myself and show off my work—both things I believed a good portfolio should do. However, after looking at my site in preparation for the redesign, I found that instead of asking, “What should my site do?” I should be asking, “What should my site do for me?” This small, but critical distinction changed everything. While yes, I want my site to brand myself and create a memorable identity, I really want a web/graphic design job, and all the branding in the world won’t get me a job on an aesthetic basis alone. In addition, I want a place to display my work, so people I know can keep up with my progress.

The next consideration I needed to make was what user groups would fulfill my goals. While they seemed obvious to me (employers and friends), what wasn’t immediately clear was how I’d create a design that would appeal to both. Further questions needed to be asked; “employers” is simply too broad a distinction to make—what specific kind of employment was I seeking? If I were trying to get a job as a programmer, a different aesthetic would be required than if I was aiming for a graphic design gig. It wasn’t until I showed my work in class and got feedback from you, that I understood this. “The Employers” doesn’t adequately allow me to focus my design, as much as creating Timothy Stephenson, the design firm manager. Representing a demographic within the employer user group, they have different needs and tasks to be addressed than an art department of a newspaper would.

Developing the Personas

In order to create the personas representing the two user groups I’ve identified as important, I conducted interviews and did research. Ted Schepler, the full-time college student, is an amalgamation of the variety of friends I interviewed. All juniors, seniors, or graduates, they represent both the age range and web savviness I expect from this user group. Aside from asking basic questions like, “How many hours a day do you spend online?” and “What are some of your favorite sites to visit?”, one added a new dimension I hadn’t considered before. When I asked, “Do you show my site to other people?” nearly all said either they had already, or if it was the first time they saw it, that they would. Realizing that this user group likely had more propensity to forward the URL of my site to others made me consider how this would affect my goals. With the sheer number of times my site is referred to, it is very possible that this dynamic might also help me find a job if the right person saw it. I also presented to them several in-progress mockups and concept art, and asked them aesthetic-based questions (samples shown below).

Orange was the color they cited as liking the most, in the three that had color. Research into this color shows that it has connotations of vivaciousness, creativity, energy, and generally evokes positive feelings—exactly what I am looking for the site redesign to convey. For this reason, the primary color used in Ted’s persona profile is orange.

It was more difficult to interview for Timothy’s persona, but through conversations with professionals in the field that I know, I managed to put together a reasonable caricature of the average design-minded professional. These interviews were supplemented by online research, looking at job postings for what qualities they asked for, as well as articles and blog posts on getting a job in the design field. The predominant trend that arose was an emphasis on clarity and efficiency. While they do value innovative design and ingenious creativity, they valued the ability to navigate the site easily and find what they were looking for highest.

While nothing surprised me during the interviews and research regarding this user group, I was pleased to find how easily the persona wrote itself after targeting graphic and web design firms. Narrowing the focus allowed me to do two things: make clearer assumptions of their knowledge base, and the type of aesthetic they are most likely to appreciate. Blue is the dominant color on Timothy’s persona profile since blue was the color those interviewed expressed the most affinity toward. Online research shows that the color blue exudes professionalism, cleanliness, and trustworthiness.

Integration and Application of Analysis

The analyses completed in the course of this project will be used to drive the information architecture design and aesthetic considerations. Whereas I had difficulty trying to determine even how to structure the landing page, I now know what direction I will take. The issue was, what content should greet the incoming user? If one of my goals is to show off my work and demonstrate my skills, then it makes sense that a gallery be the first thing they are presented with. Before, considerations that I was unsure of how to make are now clearer since I know what users are expecting.

The redesign will kick off my job search going into Spring semester, with the goal of securing employment that will begin after graduation. A critical component, I must make sure that users are represented, my goals are accomplished, and the site is branded with the identity I wish to convey.