Guerilla Personas Lorelei Brown [email_address]

Lorelei Brown

[email_address]

What We’ll Do Today Meet each other Personas - what they are & what’s inside Data sources & what you can learn Putting it all together

Meet each other

Personas - what they are & what’s inside

Data sources & what you can learn

Putting it all together

Me I work at a little agency Mostly with non-profits & associations Little budgets, big opinions More content, less applications IA is still a new frontier for clients

I work at a little agency

Mostly with non-profits & associations

Little budgets, big opinions

More content, less applications

IA is still a new frontier for clients

You are? Innie or outie? What kind of companies and clients? Use personas? Applications or content?

Innie or outie?

What kind of companies and clients?

Use personas?

Applications or content?

Part 1 History, Rules, Structure History, Rules, Structure

Origins Print and TV Marketing audience segmentation Demographics, buying habits, interests

Print and TV Marketing audience segmentation

Demographics, buying habits, interests

Evolution Cooper - About Face Research based Task oriented Individual

Cooper - About Face

Research based

Task oriented

Individual

Sample: Bob Bob is 52 years old and works as a mechanic with an organisation offering road service to customers when their car breaks down. He has worked in the job for the past 12 years and knows it well. Many of the younger mechanics ask Bob for advice when they meet up in the depot as he always knows the answer to tricky mechanical problems. Bob likes sharing his knowledge with the younger guys, as it makes him feel a valued part of the team. Bob works rolling day and night shifts and spends his shifts attending breakdowns and lockouts (when customers lock their keys in the car). About 20% of the jobs he attends are complex and he occasionally needs to refer to his standard issue manuals. Bob tries to avoid using the manuals in front of customers as he thinks it gives the impression he doesn't know what he's doing. Bob has seen many changes over the years with the company and has tried his best to move with the times. However he found it a bit daunting when a new computer was installed in his van several years ago, and now he has heard rumours that the computer is going to be upgraded to one with a bigger screen that's meant to be faster and better. Bob's been told that he will be able to access the intranet on the new computer. He has heard about the intranet and saw once in an early version on his manager's computer. He wonders if he will be able to find out want's going on in the company more easily, especially as customers' seem to know more about the latest company news than he does when he turns up at a job. This can be embarrassing and has been a source of frustration for Bob throughout his time with the company. Bob wonders if he will be able to cope with the new computer system. He doesn't mind asking his grandchildren for help when he wants to send an email to his brother overseas, but asking the guys at work for help is another story. Credit: Step Two

Bob is 52 years old and works as a mechanic with an organisation offering road service to customers when their car breaks down. He has worked in the job for the past 12 years and knows it well. Many of the younger mechanics ask Bob for advice when they meet up in the depot as he always knows the answer to tricky mechanical problems. Bob likes sharing his knowledge with the younger guys, as it makes him feel a valued part of the team. Bob works rolling day and night shifts and spends his shifts attending breakdowns and lockouts (when customers lock their keys in the car). About 20% of the jobs he attends are complex and he occasionally needs to refer to his standard issue manuals. Bob tries to avoid using the manuals in front of customers as he thinks it gives the impression he doesn't know what he's doing. Bob has seen many changes over the years with the company and has tried his best to move with the times. However he found it a bit daunting when a new computer was installed in his van several years ago, and now he has heard rumours that the computer is going to be upgraded to one with a bigger screen that's meant to be faster and better. Bob's been told that he will be able to access the intranet on the new computer. He has heard about the intranet and saw once in an early version on his manager's computer. He wonders if he will be able to find out want's going on in the company more easily, especially as customers' seem to know more about the latest company news than he does when he turns up at a job. This can be embarrassing and has been a source of frustration for Bob throughout his time with the company. Bob wonders if he will be able to cope with the new computer system. He doesn't mind asking his grandchildren for help when he wants to send an email to his brother overseas, but asking the guys at work for help is another story.

Credit: Step Two

De-evolution Makes the user relatable Catalogs likes/dislikes/pains Includes business goals Some basis in reality

Makes the user relatable

Catalogs likes/dislikes/pains

Includes business goals

Some basis in reality

Personas focus Commercials! Tells a story everyone understands Persuasive

Commercials!

Tells a story everyone understands

Persuasive

New Rules No rules! Single person, multiple person May not use demographics

No rules!

Single person, multiple person

May not use demographics

You are a journalist Get the eyewitness reports Place it in context of larger events Explain it so everyone understands Remember the bias of your readership

Get the eyewitness reports

Place it in context of larger events

Explain it so everyone understands

Remember the bias of your readership

The expert witness Speculation to problem solving What would Betty do? How would Betty do this? What do we want Betty to do?

Speculation to problem solving

What would Betty do?

How would Betty do this?

What do we want Betty to do?

Decision-Making 101 Decisions are rarely made on facts Money, turf, emotion, perception Number one driver: Fear

Decisions are rarely made on facts

Money, turf, emotion, perception

Number one driver: Fear

Personas are good at Thinking about feasibility Determining how to extend new services How to repurpose content - what’s new to you?

Thinking about feasibility

Determining how to extend new services

How to repurpose content - what’s new to you?

Shift conversations ‘How’ to ‘what’ & ‘why’ Unites factions into a single front

‘How’ to ‘what’ & ‘why’

Unites factions into a single front

Elements One big need, several smaller common needs Must dos and can dos User method, mood, point of view

One big need, several smaller common needs

Must dos and can dos

User method, mood, point of view

Traditional Personas Photo Tagline Tasks Demographics Summary of research

Photo

Tagline

Tasks

Demographics

Summary of research

Archetypical Attitudes Seeker Involved user Passive user Interpreter/storyteller Advertiser Sponsor Decision maker Outsider

Seeker

Involved user

Passive user

Interpreter/storyteller

Advertiser

Sponsor

Decision maker

Outsider

Seekers Are not interested in you, but may be interested in your subject They have a HUGE untapped potential, once they see your value Examples: casual shoppers, surfers, researchers

Are not interested in you, but may be interested in your subject

They have a HUGE untapped potential, once they see your value

Examples: casual shoppers, surfers, researchers

Involved Involved users love you and may be your evangelist Examples: Mac users, volunteers, campaign contributors

Involved users love you and may be your evangelist

Examples: Mac users, volunteers, campaign contributors

Passives Passives are involved because they don’t have anything else to do Can suddenly realize they don’t need you They can be converted, carefully Examples: people on auto-pay, email deleters

Passives are involved because they don’t have anything else to do

Can suddenly realize they don’t need you

They can be converted, carefully

Examples: people on auto-pay, email deleters

Interpreters Interpreters tell your story to the world Can be allies or adversaries Examples: reporters, bloggers, raters

Interpreters tell your story to the world

Can be allies or adversaries

Examples: reporters, bloggers, raters

Deciders Deciders are small & powerful - they determine if you are read, bought or used Beware the assistant Examples: policy makers, head of household, purchasing agent, CEO

Deciders are small & powerful - they determine if you are read, bought or used

Beware the assistant

Examples: policy makers, head of household, purchasing agent, CEO

Outsider Outsiders are not interested in you or don’t know about you - yet Most powerful because there is the highest potential to expand a niche Examples: Coming of age/eligibility

Outsiders are not interested in you or don’t know about you - yet

Most powerful because there is the highest potential to expand a niche

Examples: Coming of age/eligibility

Advertiser/Sponsor These users are looking for ways that your brand has affinity with theirs Not a direct audience, but often give you money Examples: ad buyer, grantmaker, individual donor

These users are looking for ways that your brand has affinity with theirs

Not a direct audience, but often give you money

Examples: ad buyer, grantmaker, individual donor

Mix-n-match Seeker-sponsor = giving officer at a corporation foundation Outsider-interpreter = gaming blogger who’s telling people about the site she just found Involved-sponsor = large stockholders, trustees

Seeker-sponsor = giving officer at a corporation foundation

Outsider-interpreter = gaming blogger who’s telling people about the site she just found

Involved-sponsor = large stockholders, trustees

Tips: Tasks Ask ‘who’s interested?’ What’s the unmet need? How can you meet it? Who doesn’t know they need it?

Ask ‘who’s interested?’

What’s the unmet need?

How can you meet it?

Who doesn’t know they need it?

Tips: A/S/L/$$$ Age: internet behaviors or life stages Race: language issues Sex: outlook/interests Income: Can get meaningless quickly

Age: internet behaviors or life stages

Race: language issues

Sex: outlook/interests

Income: Can get meaningless quickly

Tips: Names & Photos Proper names and behaviors James, the Seeker James, 45 year old white male

Proper names and behaviors

James, the Seeker

James, 45 year old white male

Part 3 Data Sources Data Sources Traffic, search, documents, the outside world

Traffic, search, documents, the outside world

Bottom line Some data is better than no data Use what you have No one piece is the grail - you put it together

Some data is better than no data

Use what you have

No one piece is the grail - you put it together

If it’s happened... Someone has studied it. In detail. With grant money. Especially the Internet

Someone has studied it.

In detail.

With grant money.

Especially the Internet

Outside research PEW Internet Life Project Marketing journals - ClickZ Government & NGOs Foundations Software companies

PEW Internet Life Project

Marketing journals - ClickZ

Government & NGOs

Foundations

Software companies

You may have Traffic Search Products and services Call center/info email/other interactions Leadership’s opinions

Traffic

Search

Products and services

Call center/info email/other interactions

Leadership’s opinions

Daily Life Stats US Census Bureau of Labor Statistics Foundations Groups & Associations

US Census

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Foundations

Groups & Associations

Traffic Tells You What happened, but not Why What changed Needs analysis for externalities

What happened, but not Why

What changed

Needs analysis for externalities

Traffic: Bad Parts Doesn’t show leaf content well Different programs measure differently Assumes volume is best Affinity is better

Doesn’t show leaf content well

Different programs measure differently

Assumes volume is best

Affinity is better

Traffic: Jackpot External navigation Provides some comparison to related sites

External navigation

Provides some comparison to related sites

Traffic Haters Business Owners “If my content were more prominent, it would get more traffic”

Business Owners

“If my content were more prominent, it would get more traffic”

Search Can tell you what people want but don’t see The process that people go through to find something

Can tell you what people want but don’t see

The process that people go through to find something

Search Jackpot User’s vocabulary What they’re looking for What’s really popular When’s it’s important

User’s vocabulary

What they’re looking for

What’s really popular

When’s it’s important

Search: Bad Top 100 Terms and Queries - too simple Good semantics take more time

Top 100 Terms and Queries - too simple

Good semantics take more time

Search Haters Executives “They’re searching by the wrong name” Marketers “It hurts the brand”

Executives “They’re searching by the wrong name”

Marketers “It hurts the brand”

Internals: Good Call centers & emails Sales, registrations, event attendance Hits the people who may not use your website Information that’s already been seen

Call centers & emails

Sales, registrations, event attendance

Hits the people who may not use your website

Information that’s already been seen

Internals: Bad Can already have been interpreted Has a what, but not a why Over emphasis on functions Vocal minority can capture attention

Can already have been interpreted

Has a what, but not a why

Over emphasis on functions

Vocal minority can capture attention

Internal: Neutral Many have seen & digested it Some liked it, some hate it Can have a set perception

Many have seen & digested it

Some liked it, some hate it

Can have a set perception

Internal: Fans Whoever did the research loves it Whoever hates the researcher hates it

Whoever did the research loves it

Whoever hates the researcher hates it

External reports Great source of general population Can be perceived as biased or irrelevant Can be highly valued

Great source of general population

Can be perceived as biased or irrelevant

Can be highly valued

Social Sites Offers some context : vocabulary, affinity, relationships Has strong bias of people who use social sites May be dismissed as “kid stuff”

Offers some context : vocabulary, affinity, relationships

Has strong bias of people who use social sites

May be dismissed as “kid stuff”

Part 3 Putting it all together Putting it all together

Step 1 What’s the business problem? Existing metrics? Tone/design Application issues Audience/share expansion

What’s the business problem?

Existing metrics?

Tone/design

Application issues

Audience/share expansion

Step 2 What do we know? Who’s the expert on your users? How do they like the way you’re engaging? communication, presentation What are other people doing?

What do we know?

Who’s the expert on your users?

How do they like the way you’re engaging? communication, presentation

What are other people doing?

Step 3 How do we report? What data answers the questions? How do we tell a story to make the data more engaging or clearer?

How do we report?

What data answers the questions?

How do we tell a story to make the data more engaging or clearer?

Let’s meet NAWG Trade association of electricians and construction managers Membership is aging - few young skilled tradesmen Goals: be an expert, provide training, professional standards, make members more money

Trade association of electricians and construction managers

Membership is aging - few young skilled tradesmen

Goals: be an expert, provide training, professional standards, make members more money

NAWG Provides Professional certification Training Meetings Credibility to the electrical industry Publications/reference

Professional certification

Training

Meetings

Credibility to the electrical industry

Publications/reference

Business Problems Lots of phone calls Low online fulfillment, registration Some areas are completely unused Construction industry is aging Bilingual and international expansion

Lots of phone calls

Low online fulfillment, registration

Some areas are completely unused

Construction industry is aging

Bilingual and international expansion

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What’s wrong? What makes NAWG successful as a business? What’s makes NAWG unique? Do the users know that? Why not?

What makes NAWG successful as a business?

What’s makes NAWG unique?

Do the users know that?

Why not?

Stakeholders What drives the decisions? What’s the pet peeve? What’s the motivation?

What drives the decisions?

What’s the pet peeve?

What’s the motivation?

Where we start? Who matters: Involved? Uninvolved? Insider? Outsider? What do we want to know? A/S/L/$$? What sources can tell us about construction? Who can help us internally?

Who matters: Involved? Uninvolved? Insider? Outsider?

What do we want to know? A/S/L/$$?

What sources can tell us about construction?

Who can help us internally?

Referring Sites IBEW USA Jobs BLS Google Speciality Contractors California Electrician’s Associations Monster.com Wikipedia NE Apprenticeship ConstructionWeblinks

IBEW

USA Jobs

BLS

Google

Speciality Contractors

California Electrician’s Associations

Monster.com

Wikipedia

NE Apprenticeship

ConstructionWeblinks

Search trends Proper names Magazine Topics Spelling

Proper names

Magazine

Topics

Spelling

Let’s build Pain point Task to address that pain point Person who feels it Their point of view

Pain point

Task to address that pain point

Person who feels it

Their point of view

Fill in the blanks Name Behavior Demographics Needs Pain points Relationship to the business

Name

Behavior

Demographics

Needs

Pain points

Relationship to the business

Questions?

Recap Personas provide a focus and tell a story You can use lots of different data What’s important...depends

Personas provide a focus and tell a story

You can use lots of different data

What’s important...depends

Thanks! [email_address]

[email_address]