[Sigia-l] comparing personas, scenarios, uses cases, task analysis

[jess at cognissa.com]

>We got into a discussion about the merits of each. As CS students
they've learned use cases and task analysis when they studied OOP
design and UML modelling. Personas and scenarios were new to them.

The reason that scenarios and personas are so useful is that they impart
tacit knowledge of system requirements, rather than the explicit
declarative knowledge captured in task analysis or use cases.

What that means is that the specificity of task analysis and use cases can
make it harder to understand how the system should behave when confronted
with an additional requirement later in the development process - the new
requirement isn't captured in an existing task or use case, and often the
new requirement doesn't have an obvious place in the framework created by
HTA or use cases.

Personas and scenarios are about stories, narrative, and understanding
underlying goals of the system. When confronted with the new requirement,
personas and scenarios have created a framework for understanding that can
better accomodate flexibility and adaptation. The designer can fit the new
requirement into the flow/plot based on an understanding of the 'stories'
and 'characters' in the narrative.

OTOH, task analysis and use cases can be much more useful than personas or
scenarios for building an actual functional module of the the system. Their
specificity works to advantage then.

cheers,

Jess

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