In order to market a product or service, you need to first understand who your target audience is and what they want. Better yet, you’re able to know what motivates them, what frustrates them, where they search for information and more. This project showcases how personas are used when developing user journeys, and how this can uncover challenges a user faces when completing a task.

Using design sketches and narratives, Mariah came to life as she was looking for academic support while taking online courses during the pandemic. The concept story paints a picture of her feelings as she goes through specific tasks — ranging from frustration and defeat, to relief and success. Meanwhile, the usage story tells a more technical story, detailing how Mariah accesses Canvas and what an interaction with a digital study group would look like.

Follow along Mariah’s journey as you peruse the user journeys and reflect on your own marketing approaches. How do you use personas to understand the user journey? How can concept and usage stories inform your approach and help you find the right recipe?