I’ve already created user personas from my survey data, but I think it’s stronger to centre the real life interview participants because they reflect more accurate, lived experiences of the people I’m designing for.
I’m really glad I decided to use real life user personas for my project, as it made Memori feel a lot more personal and connected to real people. Instead of just imagining who might use the app, I was able to think about actual people, their experiences and what they would need from something like Memori. This helped me understand the emotional side of the project more, especially because Memori is based around memory, communication, identity and staying connected to others.
Using real life personas also made it easier for me to figure out who my audience actually is and how different people might view Memori. Because the app could be useful for a wide range of people, such as those beginning to struggle with speech, family members, carers and people close to them, it was important to look at each person’s individual needs. Not everyone would use Memori in the same way, and I think this helped me realise that the app needs to be flexible and easy to understand.