When to use it
A persona is an archetype of a user group derived from combining attributes of real users to form a ficticious character to be used as inspiration in the design process. Use this tool to bring to life the drivers and needs of specific user groups to help you answer the question, “Who am I designing for?”
What’s the purpose
Personas are fictional and generic representations of your users that help you understand the common motivations, behaviors and needs of a user group. This is a useful exercise to create a shared view of the target audience of the service, product or experience you’re designing for, and to gain empathy for your end-user to ensure that your solutions satisfy their needs.
How to do it
- After conducting research, think about who your key user groups are by segmenting your audience according to similar attributes or behaviors.
- For each user group, use the ‘Persona’ template to bring the character to life by creating a fictional name for the user and adding an image that represents them.
- Capture the key information that you have about them, including any distinguishing characteristics, their goals/motivations, challenges/frustrations, and habits. Highlight any questions or unknowns that come up.
- When the persona feels ‘real’ and complete, move on to the next one, by creating a new template, until all user groups have been considered.
Worked example
