Personas are archetypes of users that are developed early in the design process to represent the target audience. They are developed by conducting user research, brainstorming archetypes, refining them based on research, and sharing them with the project team. This helps the team understand user needs and make design decisions to meet those needs. The document provides examples of personas for a student, working professional, and professor to illustrate how personas describe relevant details about the user's demographics, job, goals, and lifestyle. Developing personas helps avoid guesswork and ensures the team shares a common understanding of the target users.

1. Persona Development
Wonjong Choi

2. Persona
“A persona is an invaluable tool used early in the concept
phase of designing a website. Personas are archetypes of
users whose beliefs and behavior patterns are
catalogued, summarized and shared with project team
members. Everyone on the team utilizes the persona set
to determine whether their designs meet the personas’
needs.”
http://www.usabilitysciences.com/services/behavior-based-persona-development

3. Persona Description
Name
Age
Job
Photo
Family Background
Job Environment
Internet Proficiency
Needs
Goal

4. Demographic
Statistical information helps you define the target
audience and a persona.
Image Source: http://www.in-traction.com/mobile-ecosystems/

5. Steps to develop a persona
At the beginning of the information design project,
designers and developers collect information, create
personas, and refine them.
Conduct user
research
Brainstorm and
Create Personas
Make them realistic
Condense the
research
Refine them
Share them with
team members
Reference: http://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-tools/methods/personas.html

6. Persona Example #1
Jennifer is a 22 year old undergraduate student
who studies at the University of Minnesota. Her
major is writing studies, so she plans to be a
technical communicator in the future. She is
considering applying to a Master’s degree
program for further study and frequently
searches for degree programs and detailed
information about courses provided by such
degree programs.
Image Source: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/agree-terms.php

7. Persona Example #2
Janelle is a 28 year-old grad student working on completing
her MS in Scientific and Technical Communication. She is
enrolled in the program part time and this is her second
semester. She also works full time at a small advertising
agency as an Account Executive. She enjoys her job, but is
excited to move into a position that utilizes her
communication skills. In addition to her work and school
commitments, Janelle is a new mother to a 6 month-old baby
girl. Over the past few months, Janelle has struggled to
manage her school, work and family responsibilities and often
feels overwhelmed. When she does have some spare
time, she enjoys biking, cooking and watching How I Met
Your Mother.
Image Source: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/agree-terms.php

8. Persona Example #3
Professor Tim Jones, 45, currently teaches Information
Design at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Tim lives
near campus with his wife of twelve years and their two
children. He is a loving husband and father. He is also a
passionate teacher and is always looking for ways to
improve his lesson plans. This is Tim’s 3rd year teaching
Information Design in Ann Arbor. In addition, Professor
Jones also teaches an entry-level creative writing course
and volunteers at a local art foundation that helps under
privileged youths work on their reading and writing skills.
Professor Jones is a very busy person who loves what he
does and works very hard to ensure that he is a
contributing member of his community
Image Source: Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

9. Benefits of Personas
Personas describe the representative users of an
information development project. They help designers
and developers understand the common vision of the
target audience. This saves decision-making time and
avoids guesswork.
Reference: http://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-tools/methods/personas.html