‘Know thy student for she is not thee: The utility of user personas in higher education’

Doherty, Michael and Newton, Radka (2024) ‘Know thy student for she is not thee: The utility of user personas in higher education’. In: Transforming Higher Education Through Human-Centred Design :. Routledge, New York, pp. 243-258. ISBN 9781032467634

Abstract

In this chapter we will explore the application of user-centred research and user personas to the design of university curriculum and degree programme experiences. We will link the user-centred principle of service design to student-centred education and explore how personas can help educators achieve more inclusive and human-centred learning. Essentially, we argue that if we understand our students better and keep that understanding visible through our decision-making processes, then we can make better educational decisions. The chapter will emphasize that personas are an outcome of evidence-based user research, rather than assumptions, and that they synthesise and personify both quantitative and qualitative data. You will be transported to the actual life and experiences of students, their dreams and fears, hopes and frustrations. Empathy will be a central theme of this chapter and we will consider how personas can enable better communication between lecturers and students. We will share two different approaches to developing and applying personas that will hopefully inspire you to experiment in your own practice. At the end of the chapter, we will also outline the key takeaways for your practice and point out some potential pitfalls as well as benefits of user personas.