How can we synthesize complex data about diverse users actionable without reducing them to stereotypes?
Portraiture and personas are two synthesising methods widely used in research on users’ interaction with digital technologies. Rather than relying on abstract statistics or generic user categories, both approaches are grounded in empirical data about the individuals or groups engaging with a technology.
They integrate qualitative and quantitative findings into structured, evidence-based representations that render user characteristics, needs, practices, and contexts more tangible.
By presenting analytically constructed identities derived from data, these methods enable researchers and stakeholders to capture social complexity in nuanced ways, functioning as a bridge between empirical evidence and practical intervention.
At the same time, translating user characteristics into recognisable profiles carries the risk of unintentionally reinforcing stereotypes or contributing to stigmatisation. In this webinar, we explore how portraiture and persona-based approaches can be applied in ways that remain analytically rigorous while actively reducing the risk of stereotyping.
The webinar is organized as part of the project DigCapabilities, and Gilda Seddighi moderates the webinar.
