Overview

Personas are profiles of end-users modeled after real people. The personas establish the product’s key audience goals and behaviors found through interviewing and researching.

Why use this exercise?

Personas help us define the user and identify their needs and limitations. It keeps the team thinking subjectively of the end-user and the product.

Persona information includes:

  • Name
  • Profession
  • Demographics
  • Tasks and end-goals while using your product
  • Physical, social, tech environments
  • A non-stock photo or portrait of the persona

Our approach

  • Conduct user research: Answer the following questions: Who are your users and why are they using the system? What behaviors, assumptions, and expectations color their view of the system?
  • Condense the research: Look for themes/characteristics that are specific, relevant, and universal to the system and its users.
  • Brainstorm: Organize elements into persona groups that represent your target users. Name or classify each group.
  • Refine: Combine and prioritize the rough personas. Separate them into primary, secondary, and, if necessary, complementary categories. You should have roughly 3-5 personas and their identified characteristics.
  • Make them realistic: Develop the appropriate descriptions of each personas background, motivations, and expectations.
  • Have the information found through the user interviews and research direct you in how to create these personas.

TODO: include examples of personas created in past projects

Outcome

Personas become a guide to our team and clients, they show us the user’s goals, motivation of use, devices used, and pain points they may have while using the product.

References