MSU Dairy Store: Persona

by Marjorie Verlin
For academic purposes only.

User: Caroline, 17, Okemos High School Student
Favorite Activity: Tie between riding her Albanian horse,
Mingle, and attending NHS meetings

Background Information: 

Caroline and her family go to the Dairy Store after football games in the fall. She always orders Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream and enjoys it every time. Ordering the same flavor allows Caroline to have a clear expectation that she can easily satisfy. She doesn’t want to take the risk of ordering a flavor that she has never tried before because she might be disappointed. While this stable ordering style suites Caroline, it does not please her spontaneous family. They are sick of her boring ways and wish she would step outside of her comfort zone. They have a feeling that once Caroline loosens up and tries new things, not only at the Dairy Store but also at Old Chicago, Taco Bell, and in other areas of life like sports and boys, she will ultimately feel more fulfilled. Caroline is on the computer for approximately 2 hours each day on social networking websites and researching for school. She likes planning ahead and often goes to websites to learn more about a place/function she is going to attend before she attends. Knowing what to expect is the thread that holds Caroline’s mental health together so research and subsequent preparatory information becomes important to
Caroline’s day.

If Caroline could frequent a Dairy Store website that gave her some prediction of what flavor she might enjoy or helped her better understand her options, she would be more willing to order a new flavor. Generally speaking, she likes chocolate and fruity and vaguely remembers a few other flavors at the Dairy Store that would fit the description. She would like to be able to figure out what they are so that she can be prepared before going to the Dairy Store in two weeks after the next game. This would not only give her a personal sense of freedom when ordering but also show her family that they are not related to a broken record personality.

Goal: To feel confident ordering a new ice cream flavor

Motivators: To impress family members who think Caroline is boring

Information needed: Descriptions of flavors and a list of ingredients that comprise the flavors


Problem setting in the physical environment: Caroline is not adventurous enough to order new things. She is easily embarrassed in front of people (even her family) and doesn’t want to risk ordering a flavor that she doesn’t like.

Online Affordances: The online environment would allow Caroline the pleasure of browsing and thinking about the flavors in the privacy of her own bedroom. Specifically, the online space would allow her to weigh her options better than she could in the physical store because it would give her suggestions regarding which flavors she may enjoy.