How to Really Get Started so Personas Can Help You SucceedPersonas 101

intro“You can’t solve a problem with the same thinking that created it.”Albert Einstein2

agenda What is a persona?Why invest in persona(s) creation and use?How do you use persona(s)?What is the structure of a persona?How do you create a persona? (Steps 1-2-3-4)Key takeaways3

What is a persona?

Why invest in persona(s) creation and use?

How do you use persona(s)?

What is the structure of a persona?

How do you create a persona? (Steps 1-2-3-4)

Key takeaways

what is a personaA model or a representation … GoalsAttitudesBehaviors… of a user …… and/or buyer …… that remains conspicuous in the minds of those who design, build, and market products4

Goals

Attitudes

Behaviors

why do we invest in personasTo focus on “real” people we want to use or buy the productsTo help in communicating the same information to all members of the team, reducing interpretationTo help in making the decisions about where to invest real $$ in the development (for users) and marketing (for buyers) processes5

To focus on “real” people we want to use or buy the products

To help in communicating the same information to all members of the team, reducing interpretation

To help in making the decisions about where to invest real $$ in the development (for users) and marketing (for buyers) processes

how do you use personasImprove decisionsStrategy – what behaviors and/or actions are most important to drive business goalsSpending – what are the priorities for investmentMetrics – what are expected behaviors and success measuresResults?Change misconceptions about market segmentsStop design debatesEffective marketing messages & programs 6

Improve decisions

Strategy – what behaviors and/or actions are most

Spending – what are the priorities for investment

Metrics – what are expected behaviors and success measures

Results?

Change misconceptions about market segments

Stop design debates

Effective marketing messages & programs

persona structureHow many?4-6 user4-6 buyerAudienceTechnicalFinancialEnd-userIt’s about value, not number!7

4-6 user

4-6 buyer

Technical

Financial

End-user

persona structureMany formats!Common to have one-two page narrative with image (a 19-page persona is a book!)Bullets work fine, if that is acceptable styleDon’t confuse market segment with market persona!8

Common to have one-two page narrative with image (a 19-page persona is a book!)

Bullets work fine, if that is acceptable style

getting started…1-2-3-4 stepsInvolve many colleaguesResearchAnalyze & writeCommunicate & use9

10Led by product management (user) & product marketing (buyer) ExecutivesMarketingDevelopment/DesignersBusiness analystsUI teamSales Customer supportstep 1 - involvement

Led by product management (user) &

Executives

Marketing

Development/Designers

Business analysts

UI team

Sales

Customer support

step 2 - researchTypesMost commonInterviewsIn personphoneField studyCase study reviewsMystery shopping/shadowingThird-party contextual11

Types

Most common

Interviews

In person

phone

Field study

Case study reviews

Mystery shopping/shadowing

Third-party contextual

step 2 - researchWhere do you find themNot customers!Comb company CRM data“Friends & family” listMine Social media resourcesInternet searchFacebook (better for consumer-based products)LinkedInTwitter12

Not customers!

Comb company CRM data

“Friends & family” list

Mine Social media resources

Internet search

Facebook (better for consumer-based products)

LinkedIn

Twitter

step 2 - questions to ask of all personasWhat do they like?How long have they been in their role?What activities do they engage in?What knowledge & skills are required?Overview of their organizationRelationship to othersKey initiatives underwayWhat are their goals?What problems do they face?What is their ideal solution?Who makes the decisions?Budgeting process/authority/approvals?13

Relationship to others

Key initiatives underway

step 2 - questions to ask of all personasHow do they learn about solutions?AnalystsIndustry publications, trade associations, conferencesVendorsInternet searchesColleagues/recommendationsInternalExternalSocial mediaOther influences!14

Analysts

Industry publications, trade associations, conferences

Vendors

Internet searches

Colleagues/recommendations

Internal

External

Social media

Other influences!

step 2 - user persona questions What are they trying to do?How do they do it now?Who do they do it with?What do they want? (their vision)What are they willing to give up?Ask for A/B priority choicesWhat competitive products do you like? Why?What would stop you from implementing …?(in person) Ask for a show & tell15

step 2 - buyer persona questionsObstacles that interfere with successAttitudes or beliefs that stop them from purchasing your productWhat metrics matter to them?What metrics do they use?What are their alternatives to purchasing your product? What alternatives do they use to solve their problem?Role/influence in the decision processWhat have they seen they like/dislike?What did they see/hear that moved them to action? Why?16

Obstacles that interfere with success

Attitudes or beliefs that stop them from purchasing your product

What metrics matter to them?

What metrics do they use?

What are their alternatives to purchasing your product?

What alternatives do they use to solve their problem?

Role/influence in the decision process

What have they seen they like/dislike?

What did they see/hear that moved them to action? Why?

step 2 - be prepared17

step 2 - be prepared18

step 2 - be prepared19

step 2 - be prepared20

step 3 - putting them all togetherWrite up each visitLook at your researchPost-it exercise = great tool!Develop personasWord doc is fine! Narrative, short paragraphsSalient details for audience’s understandingPicture is critical!Test themRevise if persona isn’t supportedTest themRevise if persona isn’t supportedTest them again21

Write up each visit

Look at your research

Post-it exercise = great tool!

Develop personas

Word doc is fine!

Narrative, short paragraphs

Salient details for audience’s understanding

Picture is critical!

Test them

Revise if persona isn’t supported

Test them

Revise if persona isn’t supported

Test them again

step 3 – “persona mapping”22

step 3 – samples: end userhttp://www2.sims.berkeley.edu/courses/final-projects/travelite/design_business.htm23

step 3 – samples: end user24

step 3 – samples: buyerhttp://www.small-biz-marketing-tips.com/buyer-persona.html25

step 3 – samples: buyerhttp://www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_personas26

Communicate/share the personasWhat programs/marketing artifacts can benefit from the changes learned?Web siteSales presentations and brochuresTrade show boothTargeted campaignsHow will product management help development incorporate? User stories in agile environmentsPrioritization lists for roadmapsWhat will Sales do differently? Customer support? Executive Leadership?step 4 - closing the loop27

Communicate/share the personas

What programs/marketing artifacts can benefit from the changes learned?

Web site

Sales presentations and brochures

Trade show booth

Targeted campaigns

How will product management help development incorporate?

User stories in agile environments

Prioritization lists for roadmaps

What will Sales do differently? Customer support? Executive Leadership?

key takeawaysPersonas only add value if you invest time in their developmentMust be based on real life, with supporting dataPersonas only add value if they are “living” reference pointsIf they become shelfware, don’t botherPersonas are not meant to be a magic bulletStill need to invest in the other research and other business, technology, design, marketing & sales principles. They will not solve all the problemsYour persona effort will not succeed without leadership team support. Period. No further discussion needed.28

Must be based on real life, with supporting data

If they become shelfware, don’t bother

Still need to invest in the other research and other business, technology, design, marketing & sales principles. They will not solve all the problems

what else?29

contact meJennifer DoctorBlog: http://www.outsideinview.com(look for this ppt & resource links )E-mail: jidoctor@hotmail.comOn Twitter: @jidoctorLinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jidoctorPhone: 612-965-003330

Blog: http://www.outsideinview.com

E-mail: jidoctor@hotmail.com

On Twitter: @jidoctor

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jidoctor

Phone: 612-965-0033