Composite Character Profile
Confused Karen
- Confused Karen is just plain confused. When she arrives at the multiple trash cans with different signs and symbols, shapes and colors, she is automatically overwhelmed and just does not know what to do with herself, and more importantly her trash. She takes a few hesitant steps forward as she looks over her shoulder, suddenly feeling self conscious at her apparent lack of knowledge in the trash-sorting department. Seeing no beacon of hope in sight, she decides its pointless, and discards her trash in the nearest bin without further consideration.
- Confused Karen is not normally confused with other aspects of her life, but has found herself at odds with the bins in front of her. “There is too much going on. The information seems to contradict itself.”, she thinks. She would incredibly benefit from some clarity in simplicity and consistency.
- This sucks for Confused Karen. She wants to do the right thing. She believes in the cause and wants to help make a difference in this world, but she is just so darn confused. She has the potential, but lacks the knowledge.
Potential Point of View Statements
Education Providing Automation
Confused Karen needs to know how to dispose of her trash correctly because she has never had the chance of learning about the methods involved in waste sorting. Karen would have incredibly benefitted from learning and being taught about waste sorting in school. Whether that be in high school or from an even younger age like elementary school, this would have combated her confusion and given her a sense of clarity from a very young age.
(As done here at Stanford, Confused Karen would greatly benefit from a required prerequisite course on waste sorting before starting school, as she then must take the time to successfully learn the concepts).
Human Guidance
Confused Karen needs in-person instruction because she was never given the chance to learn about waste sorting before this very instant where she must attempt at disposing her trash by type. Installing a paid position where an expert is available to lend a hand makes Karen more at ease. With the help of someone who knows what they are doing, Karen starts understanding the system, and slowly but surely she gets the hang of it.
Simplicity and Consistency
Confused Karen needs to always be presented with the same choices in order for her to gain some sense of autonomy when it comes to sorting trash. Karen has the ability to use her instincts and figure out where to put her trash if she has the correct cues and symbols in front of her to guide her. She would benefit from simple pictures, or colors that help her with the powers of association.
Selected Point of View Statement
[USER] needs to [USER'S NEED] because [SURPRISING INSIGHT]