{"id":61503,"date":"2020-10-27T09:18:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-27T13:18:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/netmind.bts.com\/?p=61503"},"modified":"2025-02-24T17:27:06","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T16:27:06","slug":"personas-the-power-of-a-person","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/netmind.net\/en\/knowledge-center\/personas-the-power-of-a-person\/","title":{"rendered":"Personas: The Power of a Person + Template"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

User experience is an essential factor in the success or failure of a product or service. However, it is not always easy to empathize with the target audience. To help enrich the user experience and gain target audience perspective, it is important to go an extra step and bring your users to life. Determine what motivates them, what their problems are, and what needs they have and connect then to a “real” person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This technique consists of creating an “avatar<\/strong>” or an \u201carchetype<\/strong>\u201d that will represent the “users” for whom we are making this product, application, or service; these avatars are called “Personas<\/strong>“.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Persona Concept<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The concept of Personas<\/strong> was initially created by Alan Cooper. A Persona represents the archetypal user; it\u2019s a representation of the kind of user who would utilize or consume a product or service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short, a persona is a fictitious character whose skills, objectives, and priorities are used as a key reference to be considered throughout designing the product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI made up simulated users and designed for them.”<\/em><\/strong> – Alan Cooper<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Designing a Persona<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Each persona is represented by a unique page that, at a minimum, includes a photo, a name, and social or professional details important for the avatar:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Emily Fletcher, 34 years old, press officer in a major food retail organization, etc.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Our products and services are generally used by more than one category of people, likely with different preferences and expectations. Usually one persona is created for each category and each persona will have their own card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of benefits,<\/strong> personas are the answer to the reality of: “If we try to please everyone, we will end up not pleasing anyone.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personas provide designers and developers a reference to identify and justify design options.<\/strong> Instead of appealing to vague notions like “ease of use”, we are going to use more specific questions, such as: “What would Jacqueline do in this situation?” or “Will Daniel know how to access this option?”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do they influence the team?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In my projects, the Personas<\/strong> are taped to the wall in the team room; they are watching us<\/strong> while we develop, design, and work for them. They help us all to be aware of the consequences of each design choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we know that the product is going to be used by “Dennis, 62, retired”, a developer will think twice before using small characters in the text that Dennis has to read and understand. If we only think of a “generic user”, we probably wouldn’t fine-tune the user experience as much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common Mistakes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Personas should not be confused with other tools used to define requirements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n