think audience first for your next big thing

audience first for your next big thing

PRNDI: June 20, 2014

Eric Athaseathas@npr.org

@ericathas

Kim Perrykperry@npr.org

@kperry9

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• We think too broadly

• We assume we know what people need to know and want to know

• We go for shiny objects

• We rely on the audiences we already have and are comfortable with

• We don’t imagine the best possible scenario before going out and reporting

Common pitfalls of project planning

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This is a user story:As a [role] I want to [desire/goal] so that

[benefit]

Translation:What is the thing you’re creating, who are the people who want it and what will they

do with it?

For example:As a Kansas Citian, I want to know why

Troost divides my city so that I can better understand the stigma surrounding the

eastern part of the city.

An audience-first approach

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Examples

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KCUR

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Kansas City spans a state border and has highly visible dividing lines that

have shaped the city for more than a century

KCUR is starting a project that uses dividing lines and borders in our region

as a lens to tell stories from underrepresented communities in

Kansas City

KCUR

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Wrote user stories for each border

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As a Kansas Citian, I want to know why Troost divides my city so that I can better understand the

stigma surrounding the eastern part of the city.

As a Kansas Citian who lives east of Troost, I want to share the reality of living there to help

shake the stigma.

As a Kansas Citian who doesn’t live east of Troost, I want to understand the area’s challenges more so I can

contribute to a more informed community conversation.

As a community activist, I want to highlight the most important issues facing Troost so that I can help spark

change.

User stories

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#kcborders

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AwesomeThingsEastOfTroost.tumblr.com

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AwesomeThingsEastOfTroost.tumblr.com

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AwesomeThingsEastOfTroost.tumblr.com

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AwesomeThingsEastOfTroost.tumblr.com

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AwesomeThingsEastOfTroost.tumblr.com

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kcur.org/term/beyond-our-borders

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KCUR

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Vermont Public Radio

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• Vermont’s relaxed gun laws lead to gun-for-drug trades in surrounding states

• Vermont is in the midst of an heroin crisis

• VPR wanted to tell this story by visiting gun shows and stores, speaking with law enforcement officials and tracking specific firearms from their origin in Vermont to documented crimes in neighboring states

VPR

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1. As the friend/relative of someone who died or is suffering from from addiction, I want a place to see the things that other loved ones see as reminders so I can

feel less alone in my situation.

2. As someone whose life has not been directly impacted by drug addiction, I want to explore what has been shared here so I can understand more about how

addiction affects Vermont communities.

3. As someone struggling with my own addiction, I want to hear other people's recovery stories (and contribute

my own) so I can stay motivated and know that Vermont's conversation about drug addiction isn't

entirely driven by stigma.

User stories

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vpr.net/traces

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vpr.net/traces

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vpr.net/traces

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Vermont Public Radio

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• Who’s your audience?

• What do they need?

• How can you meet their needs?

• How are you going to reach them?

Workshop

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Questions?

Eric Athaseathas@npr.org

@ericathas

Kim Perrykperry@npr.org

@kperry9