UX Team Personas
The audiences of the UX Design Team at BYU are wide-ranging and diverse. Sometimes you will write content that will only be read by internal OIT employees, and on other projects, your work will be read by large numbers of people outside the university and the Church. Therefore, it is important to understand your different audiences and how they will consume your content. Below is a list of the UX Team’s most common audiences and how they should be addressed. When writing content for these groups, keep in mind the team’s general voice and messaging guidelines while also implementing the more specific suggestions below.
Internal OIT Employees
As a member of the UX Team, you will often write documentation that will likely only be seen by other employees at BYU’s Office of IT. Your style and voice should not change simply because you aren’t writing for a wide audience. Don’t overwhelm the reader with technical jargon without explanation just because they already work at OIT. Your writing should be clear, accessible, and formal no matter the audience.
Prospective BYU Students
When writing to prospective BYU students, be inclusive and hopeful. Your content should encourage them to apply to BYU. Remind them of what a great opportunity going to BYU can be and how it can positively impact their future. As always, don’t assume that prospective students know Church terms or are familiar with cultural jargon.
Current BYU Students
As with prospective students, do not assume that all BYU students come from the same cultural background. Be accessible to everyone by not using slang or jargon. When addressing current students, be upbeat and highlight their successes and talents. Reinforce their belief that attending BYU was a great decision for their future. (Photo by Claire Gentry/BYU.)
BYU Employees, Faculty, Staff, and Administration
When addressing BYU employees, faculty, staff, and administration, it is important to acknowledge their worth to the BYU community and students BYU serves. As with current students, it is important to highlight successes and uplift the community in your messaging to on-campus employees, faculty, staff, and administration.
Alumni, Donors, and Friends
It is important to show BYU’s gratitude to all those who have helped build BYU into what it is today. This includes highlighting the pride BYU feels in its alumni and the important role that donors and friends play in the success of the university and its students.
First Language Not English (FLNE) Individuals
Many people consume content written by the UX Team that have learned English as a second language. Although most of these people at BYU are very proficient in the English language, remain mindful of them by writing clearly.
Church Members
Many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints look to BYU proudly as one of the most front-facing facets of the Church. Even though many of them have few other connections to BYU, their membership in the Church is enough to spur them to view the UX Team’s content. Keep them in mind as you write on the team.
The General Public
Your audience will sometimes be even larger than just general Church membership. The UX Team often creates content that will be consumed by large numbers of people that have no previous relationship with BYU or the Church. You should always assume that your writing may be read by someone that has no experience with Church or BYU culture. It is important to write in a way that is accessible to them, limiting jargon and slang. Remember that your writing may be the first or only contact a person has with BYU or the Church. Be competent and respectful in everything you write.
CES Partners
Members of the UX Team are often tasked with writing content that is not just used at BYU, but also with other Church Education System partners, including BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii, and seminaries and institutes across the world. Be gracious and respectful when communicating with and referring to other Church schools. Every CES institution is unique and important. Show them respect by highlighting their strengths and treating them as equals. (Photo by Nate Edwards/BYU.)