Non-human personas

What is non-human personas?

Have you ever wondered what a river would say if it could speak?
Non-human personas takes designers into a more well-rounded level of awareness; by considering the perspectives of non-human actants, you'll uncover hidden insights that lead to more holistic, responsible designs

They allow you to create an emotional connection with nature and non-human entities in Life-Centered Design through scientific research, creativity, and imagination. They are a way to understand the needs and perspectives of non-human actors and help you create designs that include them. Creating a non-human persona involves scientific research, immersive research, emotional narrative, and communication through various mediums.

Non-human personas challenge you to think beyond human-centric design. They are your bridge to the natural world, fostering empathy and responsibility. • Imagine designing not just for humans but for the entire ecosystem. By considering diverse perspectives, you'll unlock innovative solutions and create truly inclusive strategies.

Are you ready to revolutionize the way we design and do business? Welcome to our Non-Human Persona course, where we challenge traditional boundaries and pave the way for a more inclusive, sustainable future. But why should you care about Non-Human Personas, and how can they transform your approach to design and business? Non-human personas are not just another design trend but a paradigm shift in how we perceive and interact with the world around us. 

By incorporating these innovative tools into your work, you'll be at the forefront of a movement reshaping industries and addressing critical global challenges.

Learn more about non-human personas

• How do you create non-human personas?

  Start by defining a topic that fascinates you, a project you are working on that requires a life-centered approach or a question that keeps you awake at night.
  

  1. Create an Ecosystem Mindmap - To understand the holistic context of your topic, project or question, you make an Ecosystem Mindmap. The mind map helps you understand and see the elements and relations between both biological ecosystems and human systems. After completing the ECM, you select a non-human actant to create the persona. Often, this is a critical element of the biological ecosystem of your topic, project, or question.

  2. Do scientific research—Read and fill in the Non-Human Persona Field Guide. When you have chosen your non-human actant, read the guide to understand what information and knowledge you need to create your persona. Do a deep dive into qualitative and quantitative data on the non-human persona, habitat, and context. Understand the biography and health of the non-human actant. Discover the impact of climate change and human actions.

  3. Immerse - Visit your non-human actant in its natural environment. Observe, listen, and connect with the actant on a sensory level that helps you empathize.

  4. Collect Insights. - After the immersive experience, use the Non-Human Persona field guide to write down what you learned and your insights. See what information we were missing and what needed more research

  5. Create Emotional Narratives. - So far, scientists and activists haven't been able to turn the tide regarding climate change. Maybe because we don't emotionally connect to nature, the non-human persona might help with this as it adds an emotional layer to scientific research. Creating an emotional narrative and sharing this story of natural life and natural habitats creates a connection and a feeling of responsibility.

  6. Communicate—The non-human persona can take many forms: images, video, audio, infographics, a theatre play, posters, a website, an article, visual stories, or combinations. Use the format that makes the most significant impact on your audience and fits your purpose.

  Use a Non-Human Persona - You include the personas in your ideation, design criteria, value creation, and more.

• Why do we need non-human personas?

  Appropriately done, non-human personas help us understand nature or non-nature in a way that goes beyond written papers and the number of scientific studies. Quantitative research is essential to understanding the planet's and humanity's state, but humans need help connecting with scientific data. By using abductive research in combination with non-human or non-user personas, we can create an emotional connection that helps us connect.

• Non-Human Personas are game-changers

  How could non-human persona change your approach?

  It drives positive impact by:

  1. Including non-human actants in your work isn't just ethical—it's revolutionary.

  2. You'll be empowered to create designs and businesses that actively combat climate change, social injustice, and environmental degradation.

  3. Expanding Your Design Horizons. Non-Human Personas challenge you to think beyond human-centric design. By considering diverse perspectives, you'll unlock innovative solutions and create truly inclusive strategies. Are you ready to be a pioneer in this exciting new field?

     Join us, and together, we'll reshape the future of design and business, creating a world where every voice—human or not—is heard and valued.

Give nature a voice

Join designers and creative professionals worldwide and learn how to give nature a voice in your work by making Non-Human Personas.

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