I read classic crime fiction, and James Hadley Chase is one of the best known crime thriller writers of all time. From 1939 to 1984 he wrote 90 titles, 50 of which have been made into films. His books are page-turners. People love them.

And yet I have 15 of his books sitting on my shelf that I can’t seem to bring myself to read. Why?

Because sometimes the protagonist doesn’t make it; because sometimes the hero dies; because sometimes I feel let down.

Even the most popular writers of all time are not for everyone.

And so it is with your audience too, with your customers. The experience you’re designing isn’t going to be for everyone. It can’t be for everyone.

And yet you’re designing your experiences for someone.

So who’s it for?

What disappoints them? What delights them?
What do they want? What makes them suspicious?
What stories do they tell themselves about who they are?
What stories will they tell their friends?