# Tutorial 08: Initialize Your Scenario **Hands-on guide to starting a design scenario with the 5 essential questions** --- ## Overview This tutorial walks you through initializing a scenario - the moment where strategic thinking meets design execution. **Time:** 30-45 minutes **Prerequisites:** Trigger map completed **What you'll create:** A fully initialized scenario ready for sketching --- ## What You'll Learn - The 5 questions that define every scenario - How to connect scenarios to triggers - Setting clear success criteria - Defining scope and constraints - Getting AI support for scenario planning --- ## The 5 Essential Questions Every scenario must answer: 1. **WHO** is this for? (Target group) 2. **WHAT** trigger brings them here? (Trigger moment) 3. **WHY** does this matter? (User + business value) 4. **WHAT** is the happy path? (Success flow) 5. **WHAT** could go wrong? (Edge cases) --- ## Step 1: Choose Your Scenario (5 min) ### What is a scenario? A specific user journey from trigger moment to successful outcome. ### How to choose: **From your trigger map, select:** - Highest priority trigger - Clear start and end points - Manageable scope for first design **Example (Dog Week):** ``` Scenario: Morning Dog Care Assignment Trigger: Morning chaos - nobody knows who's walking the dog Priority: #1 (highest impact) Scope: From opening app to seeing today's assignments ``` **Your turn:** ``` Scenario Name: [Your scenario] Trigger: [From trigger map] Priority: [Why this one first] Scope: [Start → End] ``` --- ## Step 2: Answer Question 1 - WHO? (5 min) ### Define your target user **Be specific:** - Which target group? - What's their context? - What's their mindset? - What are they trying to accomplish? **Example (Dog Week):** ``` WHO: Sarah, busy parent with family dog Context: - Monday morning, 7:15 AM - Getting kids ready for school - Needs to coordinate dog care - Stressed, time-pressured Mindset: - Wants quick answer - Needs certainty - Values family harmony - Cares about dog's wellbeing Goal: - Know who's walking the dog today - Avoid family conflict - Ensure dog is cared for ``` **Your turn:** ``` WHO: [User name/persona] Context: - [When/where] - [What they're doing] - [Their situation] Mindset: - [How they feel] - [What they value] - [What they need] Goal: - [Primary objective] ``` **AI Support:** ``` Agent: "Let's make this user vivid: - What's their emotional state? - What just happened before this moment? - What are they worried about? - What would success feel like?" ``` --- ## Step 3: Answer Question 2 - WHAT Trigger? (5 min) ### Define the trigger moment **Be specific about:** - Exact moment user realizes they need this - What caused the trigger - Emotional state at trigger - What they've tried before **Example (Dog Week):** ``` WHAT Trigger: Morning Chaos Exact Moment: - 7:15 AM, Monday morning - Kids asking "Who's walking Max?" - Nobody knows the answer - Everyone looking at each other What Caused It: - No clear schedule visible - Verbal agreements forgotten - Weekend disrupted routine - New week starting Emotional State: - Frustration (here we go again) - Guilt (dog needs care) - Stress (running late) - Urgency (need answer NOW) Previous Attempts: - Family calendar (too general) - Group chat (messages lost) - Verbal agreements (forgotten) - Whiteboard (not mobile) ``` **Your turn:** ``` WHAT Trigger: [Trigger name] Exact Moment: - [When/where] - [What's happening] - [What prompted need] Emotional State: - [How user feels] - [Why it matters] Previous Attempts: - [What they've tried] - [Why it didn't work] ``` --- ## Step 4: Answer Question 3 - WHY? (10 min) ### Define the value **Two perspectives:** **User Value:** - What pain does this solve? - What does success feel like? - What changes in their life? **Business Value:** - How does this support business goals? - What metrics improve? - What's the strategic importance? **Example (Dog Week):** ``` WHY - User Value: Pain Solved: - No more morning chaos - No more family conflict - No more guilt about dog - Certainty and peace of mind Success Feels Like: - "I know exactly who's doing what" - "My family is coordinated" - "My dog is cared for" - "I can focus on my morning" Life Change: - Reduced daily stress - Better family harmony - Confident dog care - More mental space WHY - Business Value: Business Goals Supported: - Increased daily active users (checking schedule) - Higher retention (solving real pain) - Word-of-mouth growth (visible benefit) - Foundation for premium features Metrics Improved: - DAU (daily schedule checks) - 7-day retention rate - Task completion rate - NPS score Strategic Importance: - Core value proposition - Differentiation from competitors - Foundation for entire platform - Proves product-market fit ``` **Your turn:** ``` WHY - User Value: Pain Solved: - [Pain points addressed] Success Feels Like: - [User emotions] Life Change: - [What improves] WHY - Business Value: Business Goals: - [Goals supported] Metrics: - [What improves] Strategic Importance: - [Why this matters] ``` --- ## Step 5: Answer Question 4 - Happy Path? (10 min) ### Define the success flow **Map the ideal journey:** - User starts at trigger - Takes clear actions - System responds appropriately - User achieves goal - Mutual success achieved **Example (Dog Week):** ``` HAPPY PATH: Morning Dog Care Check 1. TRIGGER - Sarah opens app (7:15 AM Monday) - Feeling stressed, needs quick answer 2. IMMEDIATE ANSWER - App shows TODAY view by default - Sarah's tasks highlighted - "You: Walk Max (8:00 AM)" - Clear, immediate, no searching 3. FULL CONTEXT - Sees all today's dog tasks - Knows who's doing what - Sees upcoming tasks - Feels confident and informed 4. QUICK ACTION (if needed) - Can mark task complete - Can reassign if emergency - Can add notes - Takes < 30 seconds 5. SUCCESS - Sarah knows her responsibility - Tells family with confidence - Dog will be cared for - Morning proceeds smoothly MUTUAL SUCCESS: - User: Stress reduced, clarity achieved - Business: Daily engagement, value delivered ``` **Your turn:** ``` HAPPY PATH: [Scenario name] 1. TRIGGER - [User starts] - [Emotional state] 2. [Step 2] - [What happens] - [User sees/does] 3. [Step 3] - [Next action] - [System response] [Continue through success] MUTUAL SUCCESS: - User: [What they gain] - Business: [What we gain] ``` **AI Support:** ``` Agent: "Let's optimize this flow: - Can we reduce steps? - Is anything unclear? - What information is missing? - How can we make this faster?" ``` --- ## Step 6: Answer Question 5 - What Could Go Wrong? (5 min) ### Identify edge cases **Consider:** - First-time users - Error states - Missing data - Unusual situations - System failures **Example (Dog Week):** ``` EDGE CASES: First Time User: - No schedule exists yet - Show onboarding flow - Guide schedule creation No Tasks Today: - Show "No dog tasks today" - Show upcoming tasks - Offer to add tasks Multiple Dogs: - Show dog selector - Default to primary dog - Remember last selected Overdue Tasks: - Highlight in red - Show notification - Offer to reassign Offline: - Show cached schedule - Indicate offline mode - Queue actions for sync Someone Else's Phone: - Show family view - Highlight their tasks - Respect privacy ``` **Your turn:** ``` EDGE CASES: [Case 1]: - [Situation] - [How to handle] [Case 2]: - [Situation] - [How to handle] [Continue for major cases] ``` --- ## Step 7: Document Scenario Initialization (5 min) **Create file:** `C-Scenarios/[scenario-name]/00-scenario-init.md` **Include all 5 questions:** 1. WHO - Target user in context 2. WHAT Trigger - Specific moment 3. WHY - User + business value 4. Happy Path - Success flow 5. Edge Cases - What could go wrong **Use template from:** `workflows/4-ux-design/templates/scenario-init.template.md` --- ## What You've Accomplished ✅ **Clear target user** - You know WHO you're designing for ✅ **Specific trigger** - You know WHAT brings them here ✅ **Defined value** - You know WHY this matters ✅ **Success flow** - You know the HAPPY PATH ✅ **Edge cases** - You know WHAT could go wrong **You're ready to start sketching!** --- ## Next Steps **Immediate:** - Review initialization with stakeholders - Validate assumptions with users (if possible) - Gather any missing information **Next Module:** - [Module 09: Sketch Interfaces](../module-09-sketch-interfaces/module-09-overview.md) - Start drawing your solution with AI guidance --- ## Common Questions **Q: How detailed should the happy path be?** A: Detailed enough to guide sketching. 5-8 steps is typical. **Q: Should I document every possible edge case?** A: Focus on the most likely and most impactful. You can add more during design. **Q: What if I don't know all the answers yet?** A: Mark sections as "TBD" and research. Better to identify gaps now than during development. **Q: Can I change these answers later?** A: Yes! This is a living document. Update as you learn. --- ## Tips for Success **DO ✅** - Be specific about user context - Connect to trigger map - Define clear success criteria - Consider edge cases early - Get stakeholder alignment **DON'T ❌** - Rush through the questions - Skip the "why" - Ignore edge cases - Work in isolation - Start sketching without initialization --- **A well-initialized scenario is half the design work done!** [← Back to Module 08](module-08-overview.md) | [Next: Module 09 →](../module-09-sketch-interfaces/module-09-overview.md)