Persona - 77 portraits and 33 action cards for coaching and storytelling
Some card sets give answers. This one asks questions. Persona is not an oracle but a tool to show what happens between people. 77 portrait cards show faces, 33 action cards depict actions such as listening, looking away, laughing, leaving.
The set is designed by Ely Raman, the Canadian artist behind the OH cards. His work is meant to start conversations without dictating what someone should see. Each portrait shows a face without further context. What you see is up to you.
What you see on the cards
The portraits vary in age, culture and expression. Some faces look directly at the camera, others glance away. The style shifts from intimate to expressive, from soft to sharp.
The action cards are simpler in structure. Each card shows one action in image. Together with the portraits they form a story, or at least the beginning of one. Draw a portrait and an action, and a relationship emerges. What that relationship means is for you to fill in.
The cards are text-free. The guidebook is in German, but the images speak for themselves.
What this system is used for
Persona is widely used in coaching, therapy and education. The combination of portrait and action makes abstract concepts such as empathy, conflict or distance visible. That works in conversations where words are sometimes too straightforward.
You can also use the cards for role-play, drama exercises or as a starting point for stories. Because the portraits have no fixed character, they can take on a different role each time.
Draw a portrait card and an action card. Place them next to each other and describe what happens between this person and this action. That is often enough to open a conversation.
About Ely Raman
Ely Raman is a Canadian artist and educator, known as the founder of the OH cards. His work focuses on breaking down the boundary between artist and audience. He does not design systems with fixed meanings, but images that leave room for interpretation.
Persona fits that vision. The cards do not force you into a particular reading, but give you a visual starting point.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 110 (77 portrait cards, 33 action cards)
- Size: 89 x 129 mm
- Material: sturdy cardstock with matte finish
- Weight: 560 g
- Publisher: OH Publishing
- Language: German (guidebook), cards are text-free
- Designer: Ely Raman
Questions we often get
What is the difference between the portrait cards and the action cards?
The portraits show who someone could be. The action cards show what happens between people, such as leaving, listening or laughing. Together they form a relationship.
Do I need to read the German guidebook to work with these cards?
No. The cards are text-free and the images are intuitive enough to work with independently. The guidebook provides background information, but is not a requirement.
