Goal-Oriented Archetypes (IDEO)

All users want a balance between legal terminology and readability.

Overview

The vulnerable and the advocate users have the most urgent needs. The customer and organizer have important but non-urgent needs. All users want a balance between legal terminology and readability.

Archetype: Vulnerable

Diagram of the vulnerable goal archetype

Resentful yet resigned

Examples

  • SNAP recipient 
  • Medicare recipient
  • Urgent, Me

Key Needs

  • Help me know where I stand
  • Help me find someone to talk to when I need it
  • Help me trust you—be transparent about the decisions you make for individuals
  • Be responsive to my needs
  • Let me see myself in the site visuals 

Key Behaviors

  • Trying online then following up in person 
  • Mobile before web 
  • Valuing good customer service and problem solving

Archetype: Customer

Diagram of the customer goal archetype

Optimistic yet skeptical

Examples

  • Small business owner
  • Neighborhood association leader
  • Non-urgent, Me

Key Needs

  • Don’t make me do it twice
  • Give me relevant information, without fluff
  • Proactively help me stay on top of things
  • Tell me why your agency matters

Key Behaviors

  • Periodic interactions with a few agencies 
  • Prefers to DIY rather than talk to someone 

Archetype: Advocate

Diagram of the advocate goal archetype

Resourceful yet realistic

Examples

  • Low-income resources connector
  • First-responder
  • Urgent, We

Key Needs

  • Give me updates and respond to me as quickly as possible 
  • Streamline and integrate my documents 
  • Help me understand where I stand 
  • Give me a way to connect in person

Key Behaviors

  • Frequent interactions with human services and social workers
  • Mobile before web

Archetype: Organizer

Diagram of the organizer goal archetype

Proactive yet frustrated

Examples

  • Small business program consultant
  • Tax professional
  • Non-urgent, We

Key Needs

  • Make info consistent across sites
  • Alert me to updates and changes to government processes 
  • Help me track my progress 
  • Show me you have a vision of the future 

Key Behaviors

  • Frequent interactions with multiple agencies with lots of paperwork 
  • Prefers to go online but is used to tracking down a person to talk to
  • Keeps up to date with what’s happening in their community