User or Rightsholder Profile

A profile is a brief, descriptive summary that outlines the characteristics of a population. Profiles help designers identify and conceptualise the key characteristics of a specific interest group. A design project will typically involve more than one interest group, so multiple profiles are often needed to capture a range of needs.

A profile typically includes demographic information, such as age or gender, and psychographic information, such as values, beliefs, motivations, attitudes, and interests. Profiles may also highlight capabilities and limitations (or barriers), focusing on what a group values being able to ‘do or be’ and the barriers they face in achieving this.

Collecting this information into profiles is an important task that enables designers to frame both the challenges and the purpose of a design project.