Know Your Audience
@dwilliams999 | linkedin.com/in/scrummama | ldwilliams@dminc.com
Diana Williams
Manager of Agile Delivery
BDI/Allegient - DMI Inc
Agenda
● Why do we need Personas?
● What is a Persona?
● How do we create a Persona?
Why do we need Personas?
23%
Of users abandon an App after one use
38%Of users use an App more than 11 times
197 BEstimated Apps
will be downloaded in
2017
Define a successful product
On time?
Is it still successful if no one uses the product?
On budget? Within scope?
Alan Cooper
“If we want users to like our
software, we should design it to
behave like a likeable person.”
What is a Persona?
Persona:
the aspect of someone's character
that is presented to or perceived by
others
What benefits do Persona’s provide?
● Build Empathy
● Develop Focus
● Communicate - Tell a story
● Make and Defend Decision
● Remove Self from conversation
While we need to keep the
customer in mind, we are
designing for an end user.
Customer
Makes decision to buy your product
Pricing analysis
Generally not the end user of your product
Thinks in terms of value
When selling, pay attention to customers
End User
Interacts with system/product
Use base outweighs customer base
Generally not the purchaser
When designing, pay attention to users
Want software that serves their need
Users use and Customers buy
How do we create a Persona?
Goal Directed Design
Gathering Information
Talk to end users
You have to listen and observe
Talk to you competitors customer
Survey them (limited)
Generally you need to talk to 8 people
Create the narrative
Bad Questions
Do NOT ask Yes/No questions
Do NOT lead the witness
Do NOT ask would you like this feature
Awesome Questions
Did you have a good day today?
What made it a good day?
Tell me about your job.
What are you trying to accomplish?
What is the most important
part of interviewing end
users?
SHUT UP
and
Listen!!
Results
You will get their truths
Some will tell you what they think you want to know
You will get their weird idiosyncrasies
A pattern will develop
You are left with a common set of desired end states
Aspects of a Persona
Include the information you need
Let’s create an
AgileIndy
attendee persona
Name??
Stats:
Age:
Job Role:
Location:
Avg Income:
About:
Quote Goals:
Questions?

Know Your Audience - Agile Indy