Writing Assignment #1

Writing Three Personas
Summary of the Assignment:
• Task: In this assignment, you will write three personas to prepare for writing assignment #2,
the set of instructions that explain how to accomplish a task on a website. You want to read the
instructions for writing assignment #2 before writing your personas.
• Sample papers
o You should access the sample papers for writing assignments #1 and #2 for helpful
models.
o You can watch a video that reviews sample papers for writing assignments #1 and #2.
• Length: Each persona should be 120-250 words in length.
• Graphics: You are not required to use any graphics. If you would like to include a photo for
each persona, you may.
• Tip: The best approach for this assignment is to become familiar with the website on which
you will write writing assignment #2 and then create your personas. For example, if the
website has special steps to take for bulk orders, perhaps one of your personas will be a person
who wants to place a bulk order. If the website takes gift cards, perhaps one of your personas will
be a person who has a gift card and wants to pay with it. You want to become very familiar with
the website in order to create effective personas.
Please see the next page.

Brief Description and Strategies for this Assignment:
In this assignment, you will write three personas for the set of instructions you will write for writing
assignment #2. Please include the following information for each persona:
• a summary of the persona, including the persona’s name, occupation, location, and age
• the website for which you will write instructions for writing assignment #2.
• goals for the persona: why the persona would want to accomplish the task on the web that you
will be describing in writing assignment #2
• at least one unique situation or pain point. For the task that you are describing for writing
assignment #2, describe what unique situations or pain points that the person might encounter in
completing the task online.
o The unique needs or pain points should be clear and focused. You will accommodate
the unique needs or pain points in your set of instructions that you write for writing
assignment #2.
The unique needs or pain points should not be general (e.g., “Stan is not comfortable
with computers”). Rather, they should be specific (e.g., “Stan wants to pay three days in
advance for a party of 10 people”).
A persona who is “not comfortable with computers” cannot clearly be accommodated in
a set of instructions. But if a persona wants to pay three days in advance for a party of 10
people, then the instructions can include steps on how to pay in advance and arrange for a
large party.
o The unique needs or pain points have to be accommodated in your set of
instructions for writing assignment #2. For example, you don’t want to describe a
persona who wants to pay in cash if the website you are writing about does not take cash.
You want to describe a persona whose needs can be accommodated on the website for
which you are writing instructions.
o The unique situations or pain points have to be related to completing the task on the
website. For example, you don’t want to write, “Mark has a fear of ordering online, so he
will call the restaurant to complete his order.” All personas have to complete the task on
the web, and they cannot complete the task by phone or through any other means.
As stated above, the best strategy is to become familiar with the website and then create personas
from there. You want to become very familiar with the website in order to create effective personas.

The sample assignment on Banana Blossom provided in the class for writing assignment #1
demonstrates some unique situations or pain points that personas can have. Make sure to look at
the sample assignments. In addition, please make sure to watch the video that reviews the
sample assignments.
Due Date:
Your instructor will notify you of the due date.

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