Define context

In this stage, the team defines what they currently have. The cards are mostly blank, to be treated as templates for the team to fill in.

Preparation

Before playing this stage each member of the team could prepare by listing up to 3 typical types of visitor, and up to 3 selling points of their visitor offer. Some time (e.g. a working week) might be needed for the team to complete these, and reflect on them, before bringing them to the workshop.

Cards used

• Assets
• Audiences

Method

1. Discuss any visitor types and selling points prepared before the workshop, grouping any that are duplicates (or very similar)
2. Drawing on the selling point notes, define four star Assets, i.e. the unique selling points of your venue/institution
   • Pick four Asset cards that represent your choices, annotating/correcting the cards where necessary
   • Retain the selling point notes that led to each asset for reference
3. Drawing on the visitor type notes, define four primary Audiences, i.e. audiences that are important to retain, or that might be useful to attract
   • Pick four of the blank Audience cards and add a name and a brief summary of who each of your four primary audiences
   • Retain the visitor type notes that led to each audience for reference
4. Link assets to audiences with brief detail of current visitor experiences
5. Discuss any unresolved action notes and assess whether to progress to the next stage or repeat this stage

Possible actions

Throughout this stage, consider the following stumbling blocks and complete an action note if necessary:

• Do we disagree about who our audiences are, or what our assets are?
• Is it difficult to give firm details about our audiences or assets?
• Do we disagree about how important our audiences or assets are?
• What visitor personas and selling points did we not choose? Would any of these be a priority for other members of our institution?

Useful actions to resolve these might be:

• Collate any recent visitor data and develop new visitor persona notes and selling point notes based on these
• Design and conduct a survey, focus group, or other visitor sampling exercise to develop new visitor persona notes and selling point notes based in fact
• Consider whether new members with more familiarity with visitors should be added to the team
• Share your four star Assets and primary Audiences within your institution and determine whether alternative points of view may affect your choices

Next stage