> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.designreference.xyz/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.designreference.xyz/ux-methods/ideation/role-playing.md).

# Role Playing

Role playing is a dynamic user experience method where team members act out scenarios to better understand how a person might interact with a product or service. By stepping into the shoes of a user, designers and researchers can explore the emotional and practical journey of a task in real time. This process helps to uncover pain points and social nuances that are often missed in static diagrams or written reports.

During a session, participants take on specific roles, such as a customer trying to solve a problem or a staff member providing assistance. They move through a physical or digital space to see how the environment influences behaviour. This physical movement often sparks new realisations about the flow of an interface or the clarity of instructions. It is a particularly effective way to build empathy within a team because it forces everyone to consider the user's perspective through direct experience.

The ultimate goal of role playing is to identify friction before a single line of code is written or a physical space is built. It allows for rapid prototyping of ideas and social interactions, making it easier to refine a concept based on human behaviour. Because it is low cost and requires very little equipment, it is a versatile tool for any stage of the design process.

#### Further Reading

{% embed url="<https://www.designorate.com/how-to-use-role-play-method-in-ux-research/>" %}

{% embed url="<https://think.design/user-design-research/role-play/>" %}


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://www.designreference.xyz/ux-methods/ideation/role-playing.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.