Role playing

A design method

Role playing means physically acting out what happens where users interact with products or services

 

Why

Taking the role of the user and acting out their interactions with a design can prompt more intuitive responses and help you to refine your design. Role playing is particularly useful for prototyping interactions between people, for example in a service context.

How

Define a character or characters who will use or deliver the end product or service you are designing. Isolate key moments where these users interact with your product or service, and then act them out - with or without props.
Use your intuitive responses prompted by the enactment of the scenario to refine your design.

You could...

...Use role play as a method to test physical prototypes.

Resources

Props if required, such as clothing, walking sticks, glasses, pushchairs, furniture

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