Personas – part of the solutionPatrick Caldwell

Agenda

What are they What are they NOT

Using Them

How are we going When are we going

Users, I hardly knew ‘em

What are they? A persona is a user archetype you can use to help guide decisions about product features, navigation,

interactions, and even visual design – Kim Goodwin, Cooper Data Driven

• Personas are based primarily on ethnographic user data. Ethnographic techniques are valuable because they assume that an interview subject's attitudes and behaviors are so habitual as to be unconscious. Rather than asking users what they want, it is more effective to focus on what users do, what frustrates them, and what gives them satisfaction. By combining interviewing with direct observation—preferably in the actual usage context—you can get a lot of data very quickly. Observation also helps minimize

dependence on users' self-reported behavior, which is often inaccurate. Designed around behavioral patterns

• For each pattern, add details based on your data. Describe the potential usage environment, typical workday (or other relevant time period), current solutions and frustrations, relevant relationships with others, and goals.

Defined with precision (but not false precision) Amalgamation of … A narrative ( as we are wired for storytelling) First, each persona should have a detailed description that outlines current behavior and frustrations,

goals, and so forth in narrative form, because stories are more compelling and memorable than lists. 

What are they NOT?

Some stereotypes Us Specific users we now Not made up

What to put in and why

End goals Personal goals Experience – work Experience – technology (ours) Experience – technology (all the rest) Why this persona is important to the business Tagline

Why are we going to use them

Not an elastic “user” Not our own preferences / biases

A Struggle

How are we going to use them?

Each project will have one or more Once they are understood by the team,

• we will use them in defining scenarios• Use them in discussions

WWGD – What would Gina do. Throughout the whole project cycle or until everyone

here has spent enough time with the real users. Then these just are names in our stories

Existing SMT personas

Resources