071 Role-Playing

Acting the role of the user in realistic scenarios to present empathic design opportunities

• Role-playing is usually guided by describing a general situation or suggestions for actions to be performed, tasks to be accomplished, or goals to be reached.

• Members of the design team have to be willing to play and improvise, yet be cautious to avoid exchanges that can lead to hurtful or upsetting words or actions.

• Debriefing after role-playing is critical to make sense of what occurred and to assess genuine feelings that may have resulted from the session.

• Role-playing is difficult to document by the actors involved, so it is useful to have other team members record the sessions using photos and notes or video.

• Role-playing is useful when direct observation is not feasible or ethical: for example, for personally sensitive situations or where access to the users is restricted.

See also   Bodystorming • Experience Prototyping • Simulation Exercises

Courtesy of Elizabeth Gerber

Members of design teams engaged in role-playing have to be willing and realistic participants. Here, designers are enthusiastically role-playing services for parents with young children.