[IxDA Discuss] Mental Models vs/with Personas

[Amy]

Alignment diagrams (I prefer that term, and it's what Indi Young,
who's written extensively on the subject, is using nowadays) go a
step farther than task analysis by mapping the tasks you've
identified them to the content and functionality/tools that support
them. 

Among other things, it's a very useful way to do gap analysis when
you're doing a large redesign. It's also a great way to give
stakeholders (internal and external) a big-picture view of how
existing content and features do and don't support users' goals. 

The enormous size of the diagrams may seem unwieldy, but it serves a
purpose. We've done sessions with stakeholders where we tape the
diagram up around the room and have them scrutinize it, add to it,
brainstorm from it, etc. We use personas throughout the design
process, and we don't use alignment diagrams on every project, but
they're a great tool when appropriate.

--Amy


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Posted from the new ixda.org
http://beta.ixda.org/discuss?post=17584