Personas - what, why, how

User ExperienceUnderstanding users

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How do we design for the right digital experience…?

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Meet the gang…

▪ With permission, Dave Gray

What are personas?

“it might seem

counter-intuitive, but

designing for a single user

is the most effective

way

to satisfy

a broad population”Alan Cooper: The Inmates are Running the Asylum

…we design with the user in mind

Using statistics, using personas

▪ Research shows that 60% of baseball spectators love to eat peanuts.

▪ That statistic can predict peanut sales, and suggest the need for an innovative peanut holder.

▪ To design an innovative new peanut holder, create a persona who buys peanuts 100% of the time.

▪ He is not representative of your target market, but he will be useful when thinking about what a peanut eater needs.

Where are the users? what devices do they use?

Physical Context

Where in the world are the users?

Cultural Context

What social touchpoints exist between users?

Social Context

What is the situation, need & behaviour of the individual user?

Individual Context

…and effective user experience is a balance. . .

BUSINESSneeds

--------------------

--------------------

BRAND& marketing

--------------------

TECHNOLOGY& interaction

USERneeds--------------------

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What personas are NOT…

▪ ‘Average’ users

▪ Marketing segmentation

▪ Essays about your grandmother

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Why do we need them…?


Specific user goals identify site functionality . . .

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How?Behaviour

What?Thinking

Why?Feeling

Who?Physical

What do they already know?

Where do the use it? Touchpoints & channels

How do they use it?

Behaviours?

Who is here now? (Gen BB, X, Y)

Who will be here? (Gen Z, Alpha)

What do they need?

What are their goals?

What are the tasks?

[Job Task analysis (JTA)]

What are their intentions?

Their desires?

Preferences?

Motivations? Feeling?

What are the journeys?

How do they think about the task? [Mental Models]

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Goals define features & functions

a

b

c

a

d

e

a

f

g

i

ii

Feature 1

Feature 2

Feature 3

Feature 4

Understanding user needs at each lifecycle stage helps define features, functions ...& opportunities

aware

investigate

SEEK & filter

apply

manage

work

Entice me!

Tell me what’s going on in my industry

Let me review what’s happening – are people moving?

New jobs coming into the market place? New trends?

Can I do anything to help me progress in my career?

Am I getting the right pay?

Remember me!

Help me apply

Single sign on – access to everythingRecognise me

Support meAnticipate what I may need

Transparency of information

Make it easy for me!

Save and return to view progress

Let me see what I’ve done – reflection, organising,

referencing

Remove cognitive overload / memory reliance

24/7, anywhere, any device, access

Assure me!Things I don’t know / how to…

Let me set my details up – once. Help me - Search, browse, evaluate, wishlist, reject Let me come back (save information, preferences, remember where I was yesterday – let me re-search, adjust, tinker and tweak)

Alert me Give me confidence I’ve seen all possible ads

Signpost!

Quick idea of what’s out there

How many new jobs since yesterday?

Have I got the necessary experience for the next rung?

What do companies want for specific roles?

What are people earning?Share knowledge

Keep me current!

Track changes in my market

Advise/Recommendations

Update my CV

Share & advocate SEEK

What to do to improve - courses, career change, quals

which in turn, realise business benefits...

StickinessRepeat visitors

Returning visitors at all points in the cycle

Keeps accounts “live” – less maintenance, less cost

AdvocacyInfluence other job seekers

TimelinessAdvanced tools = returning users Service levels – increase adoptionRetention – customers stay as they invested time in the processPersonalised experience increases relevancyGather more profile & preferences data - helps targeted marketing & support

Faster through the funnelIncreased conversion rateIncreased leadsContext sensitive info Transparency of value & benefits

Effective ‘nudging’Shifting activities – iterative

movement, constant dialogue with the user’

Maintain market share – “one stop”

Full channel diversification – increases the touchpoints

ROIDemonstrable conversion for

advertisersLock in the customer = more

products, more set up – the less likely to switch

Preferences = trends, consumer

needs, Reactive environment = ability to meet

expectations faster

TargetingBrand continuityReturn visits to the siteSEO / SEM / SEAMarketing campaignsDirect e-mailsFeedback

aware

investigate

Seek & filter

apply

manage

working

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But also…


Personas are a practical design tool

▪ Agree, document and communicate who your target users are.

▪ Merge many sources of data and opinion into format that suits the task of design.

▪ Use personas to…• Write specific stories

• Build consensus

• Set targets

• Formulate and validate new ideas

• Control feature lists / prioritise scope

• Solve political wrangling….

Story telling….

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As a user I want to display my work experience so that advertisers will contact me

As Lenny I want to display my work experience so that advertisers will contact me

As Penny I want a quick CV so that I stand out from the crowd

As Goldie I want to show my transferable skills so that advertisers won’t dismiss me

This…

Becomes….

How do we create them?

STEP 1: IDENTIFY▪ Personas are not average users.

▪ They define the limits of your target audience.

▪ Which users do we want to cater for? Which ones can’t we cater for?

STEP 2: RESEARCH▪ Everything is scalable…

Paper….. Proto….Alpha

Guerilla….Labs….In situ

▪ Hypothetical Personas (validate over time)

STEP 3: MAP THEM▪ Find the attributes for your users – define the dimensions

Just a job Career

General Niche

Entry level Experienced

Just checking Urgent

Occasional Frequent

Fixed Flexible

No network Connected

Technophobe Digitally Savvy

Satisfier Maximiser

Zero engagement Loyal SEEKer

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

Just a job Career

General Niche



Occasional Frequent

Fixed Flexible



Satisfier Maximiser


LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

Just a job Career

General Niche



Occasional Frequent

Fixed Flexible



Satisfier Maximiser


GL

GL

GL

GL

GL

GL

GL

GL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

GL

GL

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Just a job Career

General Niche



Occasional Frequent

Fixed Flexible



Satisfier Maximiser


GL

GL

GL

GL

GL

GL

GL

GL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

LL

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

PP

GL

GL

STEP 4: DOCUMENT THEM▪ Socialise, share, collaborate

▪ Keep evolving them! (Never stop)

User ExperienceUnderstanding users

32

Design

Personas - what, why, how