personas

Apply Alan Cooper's Goal-Directed Design principles to software interaction design.

Updated Feb 17, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/Objective-Arts/lens-dist --skill personas-objective-arts
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: personas
Source: https://github.com/Objective-Arts/lens-dist/tree/main/canon/personas
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/Objective-Arts/lens-dist --skill personas-objective-arts

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve?

This Skill helps you design software that truly meets user needs by focusing on their goals and eliminating unnecessary friction, leading to more intuitive and efficient user experiences.

Core Features & Use Cases

  • Goal-Directed Design: Prioritize user goals over tasks.
  • Eliminate Excise: Remove steps that don't directly contribute to user goals (e.g., excessive navigation, redundant input).
  • Polite Software Principles: Design software that anticipates needs and behaves like a helpful assistant.
  • Use Case: When designing a new feature, use this Skill to ensure every interaction is purposeful and that users can achieve their objectives with minimal effort.

Quick Start

Apply Alan Cooper's Goal-Directed Design principles to the current design problem.

Frequently Asked Questions about personas

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I design user-centric software that focuses on user goals?

User-centric software design prioritizes user goals over tasks by implementing Alan Cooper's Goal-Directed Design principles. This approach minimizes user effort by eliminating unnecessary friction and designing polite interactions that anticipate needs. It ensures every feature helps users achieve objectives efficiently.

What is excise in interaction design and how do I eliminate it?

Excise in interaction design refers to unnecessary work users perform that doesn't contribute to their goals, such as excessive navigation or redundant input. You eliminate excise by applying Goal-Directed Design principles to remove these friction points, resulting in more intuitive and efficient user experiences.

When do I need goal-directed design for my software feature?

You need goal-directed design when creating new features to ensure interactions are purposeful and users achieve objectives with minimal effort. It is essential when user experience suffers from friction, ensuring software behaves like a helpful assistant by anticipating needs and adhering to polite design principles.

What are the principles of polite software design?

Polite software design principles involve creating software that anticipates user needs and behaves like a helpful assistant. Rooted in Alan Cooper's Goal-Directed Design, these principles focus on minimizing user effort, eliminating unnecessary excise, and ensuring interactions are purposeful, intuitive, and respectful of user objectives.

Can I use a review checklist to evaluate my interaction design?

Yes, you can use a review checklist to evaluate interaction design against Goal-Directed Design principles. This checklist ensures your software focuses on user goals, successfully eliminates excise like redundant input, and adheres to polite software design standards for optimal usability.

Best way to minimize user effort in software design?

The best way to minimize user effort is by applying Alan Cooper's Goal-Directed Design principles to eliminate excise, which is unnecessary work like excessive navigation. By prioritizing user goals and adopting polite software behavior, you create intuitive experiences that require minimal friction.