This is the tutorial I presented at this year's UPA covering how to do data-driven design research personas.

1. Data-Driven Design
Research Personas
UPA 2007

2. What. Why. Where.

3. What is a persona?

4. “A persona is a user
archetype you can use to
help guide decisions
about product features,
navigation, interactions,
and even visual design.”
- Kim Goodwin, Cooper

5. Personas are a
representative behavior
and activity profile for a
customer base.

6. Personas are contextual
and specific to the
particular application or
service.

7. Why do we have them?

8. The average user doesn’t
exist.

9. Keeping the you out of user
and customer.

10. What kinds of personas are
there?

11. Marketing & design research

12. As a design research
tool, they are a powerful
way to communicate
knowledge, activities,
interests, influencers,
goals, and pain points.

13. Design research personas can
be used for design

14. Design research personas can
be used for research

15. Design research personas can
be used for recruiting

16. Design research personas can
be used for customer service

17. Design research personas can
be used for training

20. Design research personas are

21. Design research personas are
data-driven

22. Design research personas are
not a set of demographics

23. Knowledge. Activities.
Interests. Influencers.
Goals. Frustrations and
pain points.

24. Where does the data come
from?

25. Design research personas
include multiple data sources

26. Both internal...

27. Key stakeholders, web
analytics, and customer
support.

28. ...and external

29. The customer, customer
advocate, and someone you
know.

30. Presenting the
Data

31. Do
Te ma
in
ch
no Kn
o
lo
gy wle
K n dg
ow e
le
Ex dg
pe e
In rie
te nc
e
rn
al
Re
se
a
1
2
3
4
5
In rch
T
tra
ne ool
tS s
ea
rc
Co
m
m Go h
un og
ity le
Pa
ge
s
Bl
og
s
IM
Em
ai
l
Ph
Sh
o
a re ne
d
Dr
ive
s
Co
nf
id
en
ce
1
2
3
4
5
&
T
Pr
od rust
uc
tiv
it y
Co
m
m
Re
u
so
Th nit
ur
y
e
ce
M Sou
an
ag rce
em
en
t

32. How do you test and validate
your design research
personas?

33. The reality check.

34. The someone you know check.

35. Did we have lunch together
yesterday?

36. Have you spoken to them on
the phone recently?

37. Stages of the
Persona Life-cycle

38. Okay, so I have my design
research personas. Now what?

40. Development

41. Birth

42. Maturation

43. Retirement

44. Common Pitfalls
and Mistakes

45. Marketing vs. research design
personas

46. Large persona sets

47. Too much personal information

48. The recycle trap

49. Not used throughout the
design research process

50. Exercise: Persona
Shootout

53. Michael
Do
Te ma
in
ch
no Kn
o
lo
gy wle
Kn dg
ow e
le
Ex dg
pe e
rie
nc
e
Knowledge
Pr
od
u
1
2
3
4
5
Ne ct T
w ra
in
P
Pr rod ing
od uc
Al uct t In
f
te
rn Sel o
ec
at
e tio
n
Co Sel
e
m
pe ctio
ns
tit
iv
Ca e In
Ac se S tel
t
ce
ss udi
or es
y
Qu Fin
Activities and Interest
de
ot
e
Bu r
ild
e
Re r
po
rts
1.0 Highly Seasoned
Do
Te ma
in
ch
no Kn
o
lo
gy wle
Kn dg
ow e
le
Ex dg
pe e
rie
nc
e
Knowledge
Pr
od
u
1
2
3
4
5
Ne c t T
w ra
in
P
Pr rod ing
od uc
Al uct t In
f
te
rn Sel o
ec
at
e tio
n
Co Sel
e
m
pe ctio
ns
tit
iv
Ca e In
Ac se S tel
t
ce
ss udi
e
or
yF s
in
Qu
Activities and Interest
de
ot
e
Bu r
ild
e
Re r
po
rts

54. Exercise:
Segmentation and
Patterns

55. The Hunter Gatherer

56. Do
Te ma
in
ch
no Kn
o
lo
gy wle
Kn dg
ow e
le
Ex dg
pe e
In rie
te nc
e
rn
al
Re
se
a
1
2
3
4
5
In rch
T
tra
ne ool
tS s
ea
rc
De
pa Go h
o
rtm
en gle
tP
ag
es
Bl
og
s
IM
Em
ai
l
Sh Ph
o
ar
ed ne
Dr
ive
s
Co
nf
id
en
ce
1
2
3
4
5
&
T
Pr
od rust
uc
tiv
ity
Co
m
m
Re
u
so
Th nit
ur
y
e
ce
M Sou
an
ag rce
em
en
t

57. The Worker Bee

58. Do
Te ma
in
ch
no Kn
o
lo
gy wle
Kn dg
ow e
le
Ex dge
pe
rie
In
te nc
e
rn
al
Re
se
a
1
2
3
4
5
In rch
T
tra
ne ool
tS s
ea
rc
De
pa Go h
o
rtm
en gle
tP
ag
es
Bl
og
s
IM
Em
ai
l
Sh Ph
on
ar
e
ed
Dr
ive
s
Co
nf
id
en
ce
1
2
3
4
5
&
T
Pr
od rust
uc
tiv
ity
Co
m
m
Re
u
so
Th nit
ur
y
e
ce
M Sou
an
ag rce
em
en
t

59. The Hive Tender

60. Do
Te ma
in
ch
no Kn
o
lo
gy wle
Kn dg
ow e
le
Ex dge
pe
rie
In
te nc
e
rn
al
Re
se
a
1
2
3
4
5
In rch
T
tra
ne ool
tS s
ea
rc
De
pa Go h
o
rtm
en gle
tP
ag
es
Bl
og
s
IM
Em
ai
l
Sh Ph
on
ar
e
ed
Dr
ive
s
Co
nf
id
en
ce
1
2
3
4
5
&
T
Pr
od rust
uc
tiv
ity
Co
m
m
Re
u
so
Th nit
ur
y
e
ce
M Sou
an
ag rce
em
en
t

61. The Librarian

62. Do
Te ma
in
ch
no Kn
o
lo
gy wle
K n dg
ow e
le
Ex dge
pe
rie
In
te nc
e
rn
al
Re
se
a
1
2
3
4
5
In rch
T
tra
ne ool
tS s
ea
rc
De
pa Go h
o
rtm
en gle
tP
ag
es
Bl
og
s
IM
Em
ai
l
Sh Ph
o
ar
ed ne
Dr
ive
s
Co
nf
id
en
ce
1
2
3
4
5
&
T
Pr
od rust
uc
tiv
ity
Co
m
m
Re
u
so
Th nit
ur
y
e
ce
M Sou
an
ag rce
em
en
t

63. The Supporter

64. Do
Te ma
in
ch
no Kn
o
lo
gy wle
Kn dg
ow e
le
Ex dge
pe
rie
In
te nc
e
rn
al
Re
se
a
1
2
3
4
5
In rch
T
tra
ne ool
tS s
ea
rc
De
pa Go h
o
rtm
en gle
tP
ag
es
Bl
og
s
IM
Em
ai
l
Sh Ph
on
ar
e
ed
Dr
ive
s
Co
nf
id
en
ce
1
2
3
4
5
&
T
Pr
od rust
uc
tiv
ity
Co
m
m
Re
u
so
Th nit
ur
y
e
ce
M Sou
an
ag rce
em
en
t

65. Exercise: Creation

66. Create personas for a
Company Intranet

67. Create personas for a
mobile communication
product/service

68. Don’t forget their
Knowledge. Activities.
Interests. Influencers.
Goals. Frustrations and
pain points.

69. Ready. Set. Go.

70. Exercise:
Presentation and
Critique

71. Data-Driven Design
Research Personas
UPA 2007