Chapter 17

Know thy student, for she is not thee’: User personas as a way to give agency to student voice

Authors: Radka Newton and Michael Doherty

Abstract

In this chapter we will explore the application of user-centred research and user personas to the design of university curriculum and degree programme experiences. We will link the user-centred principle of service design to student-centred education and explore how personas can help educators achieve more inclusive and human-centred learning. Essentially, we argue that if we understand our students better and keep that understanding visible through our decision-making processes, then we can make better educational decisions.
The chapter will emphasize that personas are an outcome of evidence-based user research, rather than assumptions, and that they synthesise and personify both quantitative and qualitative data. You will be transported to the actual life and experiences of students, their dreams and fears, hopes and frustrations. Empathy will be a central theme of this chapter and we will consider how personas can enable better communication between lecturers and students. We will share two different approaches to developing and applying personas that will hopefully inspire you to experiment in your own practice. At the end of the chapter, we will also outline the key takeaways for your practice and point out some potential pitfalls as well as benefits of user personas. 

Prototype chapter

Authors

Radka Newton

Radka’s personal experience of being an international student contributed to her professional calling to ensure that as educators we create challenging yet attainable education environments. As a continuous improvement and service excellence scholar, she has grown a significant expertise in combining executive coaching, organisation change practice and service design. Radka is a Personal Chair in Management Education and Innovation and a co-founder of the Service Design in Education network. 

Michael Doherty   

Michael is Professor of Law, and Associate Head of the Law School, at Lancaster University. He is co-author of Public Law (3rd edn, Routledge 2023). He is active in legal education scholarship, co-created the Connecting Legal Education online community, and is a former Chair of the Association of Law Teachers. Michael’s work in legal and service design encompasses education, cultural studies and disciplinarity. He the founding editor-in-chief of Legal Design Journal.