Audience and Use Profile

A template for assessing the primary audience and use cases for documentation or comparable projects.

Audience and Purpose

Primary Audience (name, title):
Secondary Audience (technicians, managers, other):
Relationship with Audience (colleague, employer, other):
Purpose of Document (inform, instruct, persuade):
Audience and Purpose Statement:
Intended Use of Document (perform tasks, solve a problem, other):
Technical Background (layperson, expert, other):
Prior Knowledge About Topic:
Information Needs (background, basic facts, other):
Cultural Considerations (level of detail or directness, other):
Probable Questions:

Audience’s Probable Attitude and Personality

Attitude Toward Topic:
Probable Objections:
Probable Attitude Toward Writer:
Organizational Climate:
Persons Most Affected by Document:
Temperament:
Probable Reaction (resistance, approval, anger, other):

Audience Expectations or Preferences

Length and Detail (comprehensive, concise, other):
Format and Medium (letter, memo, email, other):
Tone (businesslike, confident, informal, other):
Due Date and Timing (meet deadline, wait for the best time, other):
Budget (what can be spent on what):