Un framework personas-first per gli scenari di futuri sulla base del quadrato semiotico: uno studio sul caso del futurewashing

Abstract

The design of personas in the context of future scenarios in foresight is crucial for several reasons: they are an essential tool for making future scenario design user-centric, guiding every decision on the real needs and motivations of potential users and stakeholders.
Having clear personas is the common thread for having more nuanced and relevant scenarios for the target audience.
This research illustrates a framework to adopt an innovative personas-first approach in foresight methods, with the integration of semiotics in the creation of future personas: starting with semiotic principles, which analyze signs and meanings in human interactions, we illustrate how these can be applied to develop detailed and imaginative representations of users of futures that come before the design of scenarios.
Starting with the semiotic square of futurewashing elaborated and presented by the researchers in 2023 (Futuri, 2024), through examples of application and theoretical approaches, it is shown how the combination of semiotics and foresight can generate new perspectives and innovative solutions in the field of scenarios and design of personas.
It is shown how the use of the semiotic square can be particularly useful in the design of “semiotic future personas” in futures scenarios to explore the relationships between different elements of personas and their implications. The semiotic square makes it possible to analyze the oppositions, contrarieties, and implications among the different characteristics and motivations of personas, enriching the understanding of possible future scenarios. The use of the semiotic square adds depth to the analysis of personas, allowing for a more in-depth exploration of the dynamics and relationships among the different elements that characterize the profiles of future users.
A methodological framework emerges that enables foresight researchers and practitioners to anticipate and respond to cultural and social change, thereby improving the relevance and effectiveness of their projects.