http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3 http://www.loc.gov/standards/mods/v3/mods-3-2.xsd
Co-creating personas in technology research with older adults
User-friendly technology design depends on the designers' care to understand the envisioned users' needs and values. Community-based research might inform technology design by paying particular attention to the representation of archetypical users. In this article, we report on the persona cocreation method, which responds to calls in the research and design community to implement participatory approaches in creating personas to promote diversity and avoid stereotypes. The method was developed in the context of aging research, aiming to counteract ageist stereotypes by giving older adults a stronger voice in research and design processes. Inspired by classic paper-doll toys, personas are cocreated by older adults based on biographical prompts and introduced back to the research team. We share our experiences from applying this novel approach in four different settings with different research goals. Our critical reflections highlight the method's successes in promoting playfulness and creativity in the research process. Additionally, we note the reiteration of stereotypical images and the subsequent potential of the persona cocreation as a dialogical tool to support discussions on wider structural issues, such as ageism. Researchers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the group dynamics and the participants' expectations before engaging with this method. Altogether, this research method case study presents the first attempt to consolidate the methodological foundations of persona cocreation. Based on our experiences from four different settings, we deem it a productive approach to involving older adults in technology research and design processes, by creating creative and dialogical spaces that can promote diversity.
Arlind Reuter, Marie Elf, Elin Mauritzson, Janis Lena Meissner.
SAGE Research methods: diversifying and decolonizing research