POINT OF VIEW

Point of view illustration

Lead paragraph

The Point-of-View tool helps designers to synthesize their understanding of consumers, stakeholders and the market. Obviously, there are several points of view to be taken. As designers write down several point-of-view statements in order to reach one to three clear point-of-views, which will help them when meeting the client-company.

PREPARATION: up to 15 minutes
DESIGN PHASE: Insights
DURATION: 30 minutes
TEMPLATE OR GUIDELINES: POV template
FACILITATORS: 1 per workshop
RESOURCES: Research data, POV template (paper-based or digital), pens, Post-its
PARTICIPANTS: 4–12, design team, partners, community members, etc.
EXPECTED OUTCOME: 2-5 POVs statements

A good Point-of-View statement should have the following traits: Human-centred; Broad enough for creative freedom; and Narrow enough to make it manageable. And, it should have the potential to lead to an outcome that is useful, usable, and desirable from the consumer’s point of view and effective, efficient, and distinctive from the client company’s point of view.

STEPS

1.START:
Based on the insights acquired, it is time to define 1-3 Points Of View (POV), which frames the project.

2.IDENTIFY:
Define the criteria and select suitable participants for the workshop. Ideally, involve the users and representatives of the client company.

3.PREPARE:
Organize a meeting with the selected participants, prepare the room, and gather the necessary resources and supplies. Print several blank POV templates as big as possible (A3 and up)! Think about what expectations will be set up-front, how you will start and end the workshop, and how much time participants are expected to dedicate to this activity.

4.CONDUCT:
Individually, each participant should fill the POV template and then write a POV statement. Then, the filled templates are put on the wall.

A POV statement must be meaningful and actionable, and its articulation comes from combining the knowledge about the user you are designing for, user’s needs and the insights which you have come to know from the insights phase – discovery and empathizing.

Articulate a POV by combining these three elements – user, need, and insight. You can articulate your POV by inserting your information about your user, the needs and your insights in the following sentence: [User . . . (descriptive)] needs [need . . . (verb)] because [insight. . . (compelling)].


After everyone has created and displayed their POV statements, it is time for the service design team to compare statements in order to have 1-3 unique POV statements.

5.REPORT:
Write up the various POV.

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