09/12/2023
Harnessing Carl Jung's 12 Archetypes in UX/UI Storytelling for User Journeys that Resonate with Deepest Desires
As a designer, one of my key responsibilities is identifying and understanding the typical users of the product. This involves creating fictitious characters, or personas, that align with specific behavioral, motivational, and interest-based stereotypes. By understanding these personas, we can anticipate and design for their needs and expectations, resulting in a more engaging and intuitive user experience.
One of the tools I use is the Jungian archetypes; a theory by Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, who introduced this concept to explain the universal patterns and roles that underlie human behavior. By assigning archetypes to each persona, we can build more complex and relatable character profiles that inform our design decisions. In storytelling, there are 12 recurrent persona types across the human experience that we can use as a starting point for our archetypal personas. By incorporating these archetypes into our persona-building process, we can create a more holistic understanding of our users and design products that resonate with their deepest motivations & desires.
Understanding the Psychology
In the vast tapestry of storytelling, be it in films, books, or the narrative of everyday life, we often find ourselves aligning with certain archetypal characters. Carl Jung’s 12 archetypes encapsulate these recurring personas across the human experience. Visualizing this concept, a chart emerges, with the archetypes encircling a central motif, representing shared outcomes.
Delving into the specifics, take the Ruler archetype, prevalent in the business landscape where CEOs and directors often reside. The main motivation of a Ruler archetype is to gain control. In the context of a website, this translates into providing them with ownership of their digital experience. Interestingly, the Ruler, Creator, and Caregiver archetypes share a common desired outcome—providing structure. This convergence offers a strategic opportunity in UX/UI design, allowing for the creation of cohesive and consistent experiences for individuals falling under these archetypes.
How to Use These in UX/UI Design Storytelling:
If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? Similarly, if a website is designed without considering the needs and preferences of its users, can it truly provide a meaningful and engaging experience?” - Mango Alexander
UX/UI design, unlike traditional graphic design, aligns more closely with product design practices such as architecture, fashion, or automotive design. The emphasis lies in understanding the defined purpose of the product and catering to the needs of its users. A key practice I use involves creating fictitious personas and employing the “Snow White Effect.” This technique involves constructing scenarios based on personas to comprehend user goals and potential frustrations. Referencing the archetype chart, each archetype harbors a desired outcome. For instance, the Ruler, Creator, and Caregiver all seek to provide structure. Therefore, designs for these users should facilitate a well-structured user journey.
Contrastingly, the Lover archetype desires to build a connection. In the realm of UI design, this translates to fostering a connection between the user and the brand. Achieving this involves evocative design, creating a sense of connection and resonance between the user and the brand—a design that goes beyond aesthetics, aiming to forge a meaningful and emotional bond.
Creator
Definition: Innovative, imaginative, and artistic.
Objective: Innovation
Desired Outcome: Provide Structure
Typical Users: Marketing Directors, Artists, Creatives
Strengths: Creativity, willpower, conviction.
Weaknesses: Self-involvement, single-mindedness, overly idealistic.
Media Archetypical Examples: Pablo Picasso, Kanye West, Steve Jobs
Ruler
Definition: Legal or emotional power over others.
Objective: Control
Desired Outcome: Provide Structure
Typical Users: CEOs, Directors, Managers.
Strengths: Omnipotence, status, resources.
Weaknesses: Aloofness, disliked by others, out of touch.
Media Examples: Bernard Arnault, Barack Obama, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
Caregiver
Definition: Empathetic, supportive, and altruistic.
Objective: Service
Desired Outcome: Provide Structure
Typical Users: Nurses, Therapists.
Weaknesses: Lacking personal ambition or leadership.
Media Examples: Mary Poppins, Florence Nightingale
Everyman
Definition: A relatable character who feels recognizable from daily life.
Objective: Belonging
Desired Outcome: Build a Connection
Typical Users: Doesn’t align with a specific job or profession
Strengths: Grounded, salt-of-the-earth, relatable.
Weaknesses: Lacking special powers, often unprepared for what’s to come.
Media Examples: Bilbo Baggins, Homer Simpson,
Jester
Definition: The entertainer who seeks enjoyment and laughter.
Objective: Enjoyment
Desired Outcome: Build a Connection
Typical Users: Comedians, Performers, Entertainers
Strengths: Humour, wit, spontaneity.
Weaknesses: Lack of seriousness, impulsiveness.
Media Examples: The Joker (Batman), Deadpool, Jim Carrey
Lover
Definition: The romantic lead who’s guided by the heart.
Objective: Intimacy
Desired Outcome: Build a Connection
Typical Users: Romantic individuals, Passionate individuals
Strengths: Humanism, passion, conviction.
Weaknesses: Naïveté, irrationality.
Media Examples: Romeo and Juliet, Belle (Beauty and the Beast),
Hero
Definition: Courageous and determined.
Objective: Mastery
Desired Outcome: Leave a Mark
Typical Users: Leaders, Innovators, Achievers
Strengths: Courage, determination, resilience.
Weaknesses: Hubris, overconfidence.
Media Examples: Neo (Matrix), Harry Potter, Captain America
Magician
Definition: Visionary and transformative.
Objective: Power
Desired Outcome: Leave a Mark
Typical Users: Visionaries, Scientists, Innovators, Engineers
Strengths: Visionary, transformative, charismatic.
Weaknesses: Manipulative, detached from reality.
Media Examples: Gandalf, Merlin (King Arthur), Albus Dumbledore
Outlaw
Definition: Nonconformist and rebellious.
Objective: Liberation
Desired Outcome: Leave a Mark
Typical Users: Rebels, Revolutionaries, Mavericks
Strengths: Nonconformity, rebellious spirit.
Weaknesses: Lawlessness, defiance.
Media Examples: Robin Hood, Han Solo, Wolverine
Explorer
Definition: Independent and curious.
Objective: Freedom
Desired Outcome: Seek Paradise
Typical Users: Adventurers, Journalists, Archeologists, Travellers
Strengths: Independence, curiosity, adaptability.
Weaknesses: Restlessness, impulsivity.
Media Examples: Indiana Jones, Lara Croft, Jack Sparrow
Sage
Definition: Wise and knowledgeable.
Objective: Understanding
Desired Outcome: Seek Paradise
Typical Users: Scholars, Philosophers, Teachers
Strengths: Wisdom, knowledge, introspection.
Weaknesses: Isolation, detachment.
Media Examples: Yoda, The Oracle (Matrix)
Innocent
Definition: Pure and optimistic.
Objective: Safety
Desired Outcome: Seek Paradise
Typical Users: Dreamers, Idealists, Optimists
Strengths: Purity, optimism, trust.
Weaknesses: Naïveté, vulnerability.
Media Examples: Cinderella, Forrest Gump, Bambi
