Scenarios

Purpose & Objectives

Why are you doing this? What are you aiming for?

You want to describe your end goal of the product or system. A scenario is showing an example of a typical interaction between a user and the system. This can be achieved by writing a short text centered on the ways a user can interact with the planned product (user flow). It can be used for future users to give a blueprint of what a correct use of the platform looks like. It can be helpful at further steps of the development procedure to show how the interaction should work in the best case.

Data Sources

Where do you find the knowledge or input needed to do it?

The data source is similar to data source of a persona. In some ways it is derived from the information generated during the earlier stages of development of the product: contextual inquiry, personas and focus groups. It is a mix of imagination and data derived from interviews, observations and surveys. The persona can be a data source as well.

Procedure

How do you do it? Which techniques or tools do you use?

The first step is to come up with an exemplary context where the design function can be applied. It is then imagined how, from the user's point of view the function is used. The user interaction is then described chronologically.

One should focus on answering the main questions:

What is being done?
How is it being done? 
Why is it being done?

This is done by creating a story board with pictures and additional descriptions if necessary. Alternatively, the description of user interaction can be done through the means of a short story or bullet points, in natural and easy language.

Outcomes / Results

What do you get once you have done it?

A clear vision of the desired outcome for every stakeholder. This can be achieved by transforming the original short text in a visual storyboard. This will illustrate step by step all the possible interactions a user can have with the product.

Additionally, this can also provide a blueprint for actual users in the future.