Personas
A persona is a one page written description of a typical visitor to your website, there can and should be several different personas for each site. Each persona represents a different user type and is partially based on insight gained from the analysis of your web metrics.
The typical persona document includes:
- The name of the persona.
- A mock picture to represent the individual.
- Demographic information. (age, education, etc.)
- Job title and responsibilities.
- Specific goals and tasks that are most relative to your site from that particular persona’s perspective.
- Personal information that rounds out the persona’s personality.
View a sample persona.
Personas help our design team share a united view of your audience to gain a better understanding of your visitors. This understanding guides the creative solutions that connects your web marketing to the needs of an individual user.
By empathize with personas we:
- Prioritize the structure of a web site.
- Clarify design decisions early based on the personas needs.
- Stay on target with your overall goals.
According to Forrester Research, an independent technology and market research company, several corporations including Ford Motor Company, Microsoft, and Staples develop and use personas. More information about personas can be found in the following books:
- The Inmates are Running the Asylum. by: Alan Cooper
- The User Is Always Right: A Practical Guide to Creating and Using Personas for the Web by: Steve Mulder and Ziv Yaar
Personas and user testing both help our design team to get a bigger picture of your customers so that we can influence them in our next step, Persuasive Design.
