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Briefing and opening

The briefing is everything the operator reads before the session starts. It sets the scene, tells the operator who they are in this situation, and gives them just enough context to begin. The conversation opening then determines who speaks first and what the first message says. Every scenario shape uses a briefing. Conversation scenarios and journey simulations also use the conversation opening, since they begin with dialogue. Decision tasks lean hardest on the briefing itself, because it frames the case material the operator is about to weigh.

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Briefing fields

FieldWhat it tells the operatorExample
SituationThe opening context for the session”A claimant is calling about returning to work after a back injury”
SettingWhere the interaction takes placeA phone call, a clinic room, a branch office
Operator roleWho the operator is in this scenarioClaims case manager, loan officer, triage nurse
Operator contextWhat the operator knows or has done beforehand”You reviewed the file this morning; the medical certificate expired last week”
Persona contextThe persona’s current state or mood”Frustrated after three weeks without an update”
Interaction hintsExample actions the operator can take”You can ask about symptoms, work duties, or home situation”
Keep the briefing to what the operator would realistically know at the start. If a fact should be earned through questioning, put it in known state instead of the briefing. If the operator should discover it through their professional process, it belongs in hidden state.

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The conversation opening

Every scenario with dialogue sets a first message mode that determines who speaks first:
ModeBehavior
Persona speaks firstThe persona opens the conversation with a preset first message
Operator speaks firstThe operator opens the conversation
No preset openingThe conversation starts without a preset message

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Writing the first message

When the persona speaks first, the first message sets the tone and provides just enough information to start the conversation. It should not be a data dump, and it should not be so thin the operator has nothing to work with. 
"Hi, I'm calling about my workers' comp claim. I hurt my back at work
three weeks ago and I'm still in a lot of pain. My supervisor told me
to call you about when I can come back to work."
The good opening names the topic, signals the persona’s condition, and gives the operator a clear reason for the call. The vague one forces the operator to guess what the session is about. The detailed one hands over facts the operator should have to earn through questioning, which flattens the scenario.
You can use placeholders like [first-name], [last-name], and [age] in the first message. They are filled automatically from the persona’s identity, so the same opening works even if you swap identities.

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Next steps

Personas

The identity and personality behind the voice that speaks first.

Outputs

The artifacts and decisions the operator produces during the session.