Use Scenarios
A use scenario is a detailed story that shares the typical situations where a user encounters a problem. Use scenarios contextualize the problems that your personas experience. They articulate the what, who, when, and when behind a problem. In product, use scenarios are important because they help teams understand problems and illustrate why they are so troublesome. They humanize your personas and create a sense of shared responsibility to solve the problem. Ultimately, this this helps teams build better products.
Who Writes Use Scenarios?
Product managers are typically responsible for writing use scenarios because they have the necessary context and data about market problems and user personas to build out the details of the use scenario. However, responsibilities may vary between organizations, so this may fall to product owners or product marketing managers.
Additionally, use scenarios can involve stakeholders from other parts of the business like:
- Designers
- Developers
- Analysts
- Customer experience teams
- Executives.
You may even use external-facing stakeholders to gain valuable insights your team isn’t privy to.
How to Write a Use Scenario
To write a use scenario, take one of your persona’s requirements and expand it into a story. Once you have a persona in mind, identify a specific need or problem they face, adding details about where and how often it happens. Use market research and data to inform your story.
An example of a requirement might be: “Jessica, a college student, registers for college classes each semester.”
When writing a use scenario, clearly describe the problem in context, including the user’s goals, actions, and frustrations, without suggesting solutions. In our example, use scenarios for Jessica might be:
Use Scenario 1: Jessica feels overwhelmed scrolling through a long list of irrelevant classes, struggling to find the ones she needs for her psychology major.
Use Scenario 2: Jessica can’t easily identify which courses fulfill her graduation requirements, leaving her confused and frustrated.
Download The Pragmatic Framework
Want to learn more about Use Scenarios and their essential role in the Pragmatic approach to product? Download the Pragmatic Framework, which explores key concepts in product management and marketing, from market research through development and into product life cycle support.
