Perspective Shift

Escape your own viewpoint by deliberately adopting others. You are not your user.

Process

1. Define the problem from your perspective
2. Select 4-5 different perspectives
3. For each: "How would [X] see this? What would they want?"
4. Note where perspectives conflict or align
5. Design for the conflicts

Output Format

## Perspective Shift: [Problem/Feature]

### Your Default View
[How you currently see this]

### Perspective Analysis

#### The Power User
**Sees:** [How they view this]
**Wants:** [Their goal]
**Would complain:** [Their frustration]
**Would love:** [Their delight]

#### The Complete Beginner
**Sees:** [How they view this]
**Wants:** [Their goal]
**Would complain:** [Their frustration]
**Would love:** [Their delight]

#### The Skeptic
**Sees:** [How they view this]
**Wants:** [Their goal]
**Would complain:** [Their frustration]
**Would love:** [Their delight]

#### The Time-Pressed User
**Sees:** [How they view this]
**Wants:** [Their goal]
**Would complain:** [Their frustration]
**Would love:** [Their delight]

#### [Context-Specific Persona]
**Sees:** [How they view this]
**Wants:** [Their goal]
**Would complain:** [Their frustration]
**Would love:** [Their delight]

### Conflict Points
[Where perspectives clash - these need design decisions]

### Alignment Points
[Where perspectives agree - these are safe bets]

### Design Implications
[How to address the conflicts]

### Key Insight
[The most important thing this revealed]

Useful Perspectives

User Types:

• Power user (wants depth and control)
• Beginner (wants guidance and safety)
• Skeptic (needs to be convinced)
• Busy professional (wants efficiency)
• Explorer (wants discovery)
• Perfectionist (wants completeness)

Experience Levels:

• First-time user
• Returning user
• Expert
• Lapsed user coming back

Contexts:

• Mobile on the go (distracted, limited time)
• Desktop at work (focused, needs results)
• Evening relaxation (wants ease)
• Under deadline (stressed, needs speed)

External Personas:

• Your manager (ROI focused)
• A journalist (looking for the story)
• A competitor (looking for weakness)
• Your grandmother (not tech-savvy)
• A 10-year-old (impatient, literal)

Apply to user's problem immediately.