User Persona 101
I’ve had the privilege of evaluating numerous projects created by talented designers at one of the programs organised by Mulearn. Throughout this rewarding experience, one recurring theme has come into focus: many students lack the fundamental understanding of a crucial concept in design- user personas. So in this article, I will break down what user personas are and why they are important, especially those new to design.
What are User Personas?
Imagine that you are designing a new app or a website and you want it to be a hit. But how do you ensure that your product resonates with real users? That’s where ‘user persona’ comes in.
A user persona is a detailed fictional representation of a specific group of your target audience for your product or service. These personas embody the characteristics, behaviour and needs of people who interact with your product or service. It helps you and your team understand who your users are and what they need.
Why are User Personas important?
- Understanding and Empathy: User personas allow you to step into the shoes of your users. They helps designers and developers in understanding users’ goals, frustrations and motivations.
- Aligning Stakeholders: User Personas serve as a common language between stakeholders. Whether you are working with developers, marketing team or clients, personas help everyone stay on the same page regarding user’s perspective, needs and pain points. Persona makes all the team members empathise with the users and make them take extra steps to develop something that will work for the real users.
- Making Data Actionable: After doing your research, you will be having a large amount of raw data. You can use user personas to distill this large data into digestible insights. Raw data can be overwhelming, but personas acts as a reference point which guides further design choices.
- Usability Studies: Recruiting participants for usability study of your product or service can be made easier using persona.
How to create a User Persona?
Step 1: User Research
Start by collecting data about your potential users. Conduct surveys, interviews or field studies to understand their needs, preferences and pain points.
Step 2: Identify User Segments
Sort your research findings into groups based on similarities( for example, age group, profession, etc ). These groups become the base of your personas.
Step 3: Persona Creation
For each group, create each persona. Give them a name, face (you can use stock photos, use real photos of users or create images using AI), details about their background, job and hobbies. Each persona is a singular user which highlights the details and features specific to that particular group.
Step 4: Dive Deeper
Describe your persona’s goals, needs and challenges and other relevant details. The more comprehensive, the better.
Step 5: Validate and Refine
As you continue to gather user data, revisit your personas and update them. Ensure that they accurately represent your actual user base.
Typical pieces of information in a Persona
- Personal information: Name, age, gender and a photo.
- Background: How they typically engage with your product or service. Is it their choice to use it, or is it required for their job? How often do they use it? Do they primarily use a desktop computer, a phone, or another device?
- Tagline: This should be a brief, memorable phrase or word that captures the persona’s essential characteristics, roles or motivations.
- Goals: What they aim to achieve when performing tasks related to your product. This could include goals like speed, accuracy, thoroughness, or any other needs that impact how they use your product.
- Pain points: Pain points are typically highlighted in a user persona to provide a clear understanding of the user’s obstacles and areas where improvements or innovations are needed. Technical challenges, confusing interface, accessibility barriers, content relevance are some of the common pain points.
Common Mistakes
- Making assumptions: Personas should be based on real data, not assumptions. Don’t guess who your users are.
- Creating too many personas: Focus on a few key personas. Making too many personas can be overwhelming.
- Neglecting updates: Keep updating your personas as your product evolves.
- Ignoring negative personas: Don’t omit the users who might not have a good experience with your product.
- Adding unnecessary details: Avoid adding details in personas that do have serve any purpose to your design. Each piece of information added in the persona should have a purpose.
Conclusion
User personas help you make products people love. By creating imaginary but data-based characters that represent your audience, you can design things that focus on what users really want. This makes your designs stand out in today’s digital world. So, use user personas to make products that connect with real people. Enjoy your design journey!