Turning statistics into real people
Late last year I had the fun of writing a quiz for an experiential website.
It started as pure science with a touch of emotion thrown in. We drew grids of personality markers and chose to define by eight variables on four sliding scales.
Two scales rated work:
1. active v’s relaxed
2. creative v’s logical
Two scales measured sociability:
3. sexual v’s romantic
4. quiet v’s outgoing
Being a quiz it needed to offer equal chance of selecting any personality type, so statistics reared their head. Through trial, error and a little logic (I am no mathematician) I managed to give each type a 50% chance of achieving their opposite. We were in a good place.
Once the points added up, the options of 4 x 4 character combinations meant I had to write 16 personality combinations.
This was where the fun began… when those labels turned into human personalities.
To write copy for sixteen personas I had to take off my maths hat. Though labelled using four descriptive tags, these were my compass points in creating real people.
Of course, like any writer, I drew on parts of people I know to imagine how a particular combination would walk, talk, dream and work. Funnily enough, it was easier to drop any specific likeness to an actual living person and instead write to the result of these behaviours influencing action.
I deliberately did not answer the quiz for myself until I had completed the pesonality types as I didn’t want disaffect my creations. Not all that suprisngly, I tuned out to be a ’quiet, romantic, creative, active’ person. What does that sound like?
Well apparently I am a Sensual Visionary (wow that sounds far more exotic than reality… I love writing for fun!)
The advice I had dispensed to my particular combination was….
Your energy and creative vision are highly valued in today’s market. However, unless you speak up, no-one will know what you have to offer. To realise your ultimate success, you need to work on self-promotion. Get bold. Be loud. Create some cut-through. It’s OK to be pushy in business. In the personal stakes you are naturally quieter. Your personality often needs to withdraw to recharge. Balancing your high-energy business workout with weekend downtime is healthy and productive. Spending time with your partner is the ideal relaxation. Whether you’re out hiking, visiting galleries or being spa pampered, that all-important romance is the perfect remedy.
Weird. Actually cause that sounds pretty much spot on! Downing tools on a hectically busy work week, Pete and I snuck into town on Saturday night to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. We took in a play – When the rain Stops Falling (highly recommended by the way) and stayed overnight, and now I feel refreshed and ready to get out that megaphone. For me, and my clients!
So I wonder what your personality type is and whether what I write for you makes sense? Check it out for yourself: http://www.bueno.com.au/
ON this theme… What do you think of the work produced in the moment where spontaneous imagining met cold hard statistics – Have I turned your ‘attributes’ into a genuine human experience? I hope so. At the very least, it should give you five minutes of fun today.
Enjoy!
Charlotte
Kudos to digital stars, Webling, for creating the Quiz and to Rey in particular, for such groovy animated characters.
