The document discusses personas, which are archetypes of users that capture their beliefs, behaviors, and needs. Personas are developed early in the design process to help ensure designs meet user needs. The document provides examples of three personas - Jennifer, a student considering graduate programs; Janelle, a graduate student and mother; and Professor Tim Jones, who teaches and volunteers. It also outlines the process for developing personas, which involves user research, brainstorming, refinement, and sharing with the team. Personas are beneficial as they help the team understand users and avoid guesswork during decision making.