Provisional*

Personas
Workshop
Mo Goltz
*AKA Proto-Personas, Ad Hoc Personas, Strawman
Personas, Skeletal Personas, or Pragmatic Personas
2:15
Provisional Personas
These are your current best guesses
as to describing and understanding
who is currently using (or will use)
your product and why.
They are not full, research backed
personas.
Why
expose what you know,
and what you dont about your users
Benets
v|en you use t||s oocess - you w|||
come acoss t||ngs you ust oon't |now.

lo t|ose t||ngs t|at you oon't |now ano
t|at oo mate, you can ceate a bac||og
o eseac| t|at you neeo to oo.

1||s bac||og w||| |e|o |nom ano ocus
subsequent eseac|.
Benets
ab|||ty to test |yoot|es|s ano assumonons you a|eaoy |ave

taget aeas t|at w||| equ|e moe |nqu|y

g|ves t|e team a stuctue o co||ecnng ano ogan|z|ng
|nomanon as |t comes uo

|e|o you team unoestano oesonas ano w|y t|ey ae
|mootant

|e|o you team oacnce ano oeect oesona ceanon met|oos
lt's ecommeno t|at you ceate oov|s|ona| oesonas
w|et|e o not you o|an to co||ect st-|ano oata about
you taget uses.
1
Agenda
Identication & Segmentation
Attribute Proling (discrete)
Spectrum Proling (continuous)
Personication
2
3
4
0:15
1:00
1:15
0:20
break
Stage 1
Identication
& Segmentation
0:15
Purpose
Letem|ne w|o uses you sowae. v|at ||nos o tyoes o
oeoo|e ae t|ey` low wou|o you o|v|oe t||s cowo |nto
mean|ngu| gouos`
Disclaimer
lo mate |ow |nomeo o t|ooug| t|e eason|ng, t|ee ae
a|ways mu|no|e ways to ceate segments.

1|ee |s no one |g|t
way to segment you uses..
but t|at's Cl.

As |ong as you oetem|ne uses t|at ae |mootant to you ano
you bus|ness , you w||| |ave succeeoeo, no mate |ow you
segment you use base.
It is more important that a persona be precise than accurate.
That is, it is more important to dene the persona in great and
specic detail than that the persona be the precisely correct one.
Alan Cooper
Precision
Accuracy
Identication & Segmentation Activities
1. th|nk of a|| the peop|e who current|y use, or cou|d use your sohware
|ow ae uses tyo|ca||y catego|zeo
|ow oo you t||n| t|ey s|ou|o be catego|zeo
|nousty ano o|es ae a gooo o|ace to stat
2. name each type of user, and put each k|nd of user on |ts own sncky note, then
p|ace |t on the wa||
3. c|uster, group, and e||m|nate dup||cates as needed
L|scuss w|et|e t|ee ae too many o too ew catego|es
conso||oate o o|v|oe oesonas as neeoeo
Lon't soeno too |ong oebanng t||s, as t|e numbe o catego|es w||| evo|ve ove
t|e couse o t||s exec|se
5 min
10 min
Stage 2
Attribute Proling
1:00
Purpose
!"# #"%&' ("% ')*+,-.) /0)( /(1)* "2 1)"1&) /03/ %*) ("%, *"4#3,)5
6* 3 /)378 #03/ 3,) /0) +"77"98 3:),3;)8 ", '"7-939/ +03,3+/),-*<+* /03/ 3,)
7)39-9;2%& 39' 73=) )3+0 /(1) "2 %*),* '->),)9/ /039 /0) "/0),*5
Descr|be these tra|ts as d|screte data po|nts.
43 years old 30% of users
I need to make the quota this month
Attribute Proling Activities
Get out four co|ors of sncky notes
Co|o one: oemogao||cs ano env|onment
Co|o two: esoons|b|||nes, neeos / wants, monvanons, ano goa|s
Co|o t|ee: oa|n oo|nts
Co|o ou: oes|gn |moeanves
Attribute Proling Activities
lo eac| tyoe o use oetem|ne
1. co|or one: demograph|cs, and env|ronment
Cenoe
Age
S|ze o ooou|anon as a oecentage o aw numbe (best guess)
s|ze o comoany ano/o omce (best guess)
h|| out sncky notes
one conceot oe note
ba|n oumo - || out snc||es unn| you can't t||n| o any moe
p|ace sncky notes on a wa|| or wh|teboard
stand back, nonce pauerns and d|scuss as a team
c|uster notes |nto re|ated groups (amn|ty d|agram)
you may want to name c|ustes to c|a|y oata ano to ma|e o|scuss|on eas|e
ove t|e couse o o|scuss|on, c|ustes may mege o seoaate - |et t|e convesanon
natua||y go w|ee |t neeos to go unn| t|e team |s |aooy w|t| t|e c|uste|ng
determ|ne |f anyth|ng |s m|ss|ng
5 min
5 min
Attribute Proling Activities
lo eac| tyoe o use oetem|ne
2. co|or two: respons|b|||nes, needs ] wants, monvanons, and goa|s
l |ave to___
l neeo to ___
l want to ___
h|| out sncky notes
one conceot oe note
ba|n oumo - || out snc||es unn| you can't t||n| o any moe
p|ace sncky notes on a wa|| or wh|teboard
stand back, nonce pauerns and d|scuss as a team
c|uster notes |nto re|ated groups (amn|ty d|agram)
you may want to name c|ustes to c|a|y oata ano to ma|e o|scuss|on eas|e
ove t|e couse o o|scuss|on, c|ustes may mege o seoaate - |et t|e convesanon
natua||y go w|ee |t neeos to go unn| t|e team |s |aooy w|t| t|e c|uste|ng
determ|ne |f anyth|ng |s m|ss|ng
10 min
5 min
Attribute Proling Activities
lo eac| tyoe o use oetem|ne
3. co|or three: pa|n po|nts
l no __ o|mcu|t
l am ustateo by __
l wou|o be ab|e to oo a bete ob | ___ was o|eent
___ u|ns my oay
h|| out sncky notes
one conceot oe note
ba|n oumo - || out snc||es unn| you can't t||n| o any moe
p|ace sncky notes on a wa|| or wh|teboard
stand back, nonce pauerns and d|scuss as a team
c|uster notes |nto re|ated groups (amn|ty d|agram)
you may want to name c|ustes to c|a|y oata ano to ma|e o|scuss|on eas|e
ove t|e couse o o|scuss|on, c|ustes may mege o seoaate - |et t|e convesanon
natua||y go w|ee |t neeos to go unn| t|e team |s |aooy w|t| t|e c|uste|ng
determ|ne |f anyth|ng |s m|ss|ng
5 min
10 min
Attribute Proling Activities
lo eac| tyoe o use oetem|ne
4. co|or four: des|gn |mperanves
w|at ooes t|e ooouct |ave to oo |n ooe to ma|e t|em |aooy ano successu|`
ue as soec|c as ooss|b|e.
h|| out sncky notes
one conceot oe note
ba|n oumo - || out snc||es unn| you can't t||n| o any moe
p|ace sncky notes on a wa|| or wh|teboard
stand back, nonce pauerns and d|scuss as a team
c|uster notes |nto re|ated groups (amn|ty d|agram)
you may want to name c|ustes to c|a|y oata ano to ma|e o|scuss|on eas|e
ove t|e couse o o|scuss|on, c|ustes may mege o seoaate - |et t|e convesanon
natua||y go w|ee |t neeos to go unn| t|e team |s |aooy w|t| t|e c|uste|ng
determ|ne |f anyth|ng |s m|ss|ng
5 min
10 min
Proling Activities
S. for each user type, conso||date a|| amn|ty d|agrams onto an p|ece of paper
fo|ded |nto quadrants
demographics
& environment
responsibilities,
needs / wants,
motivations,
and goals
pain points design imperatives
5 min
leave
blank
for now
Stage 3
Spectrum Proling
1:15
Purpose
!"# #"%&' ("% ')*+,-.) /0)( /(1)* "2 1)"1&) /03/ %*) ("%, *"4#3,)5
6* 3 /)378 #03/ 3,) /0) +"77"98 3:),3;)8 ", '"7-939/ +03,3+/),-*<+* /03/ 3,)
7)39-9;2%& 39' 73=) )3+0 /(1) "2 %*),* '->),)9/ /039 /0) "/0),*5
Descr|be these tra|ts as a spectrum.
texts often texts infrequently
Spectrum Proling Activities
lo eac| tyoe o use (o s|m||a tyoe o uses - |.e. |n t|e same |nousty)
1. choose S - 10 aur|butes you th|nk are |mportant or mauer more than others
-92,)?%)9/ /3=* 2,)?%)9/ /3*=*
*0",/ /3*=* &"9; /3*=*
9);3<:) 3@/%') 1"*-<:) 3</%')
=9"#* 9"/0-9; 3."%/ /)+0 )A1),/ -9 /)+0
,""=-) 1,"
Genera|
10 min
Spectrum Proling Activities
lo eac| tyoe o use (o s|m||a tyoe o uses - |.e. |n t|e same |nousty)
1. choose S - 10 aur|butes you th|nk are |mportant or mauer more than others
,)&-)* "9 ,)*)3,+0 /03/B* 1,":-')' '")* "#9 1),*"93& ,)*)3,+0
3:"-'* C3,;"9 #-/0 +&-)9/ %*)* C3,;"9
,)&%+/39/ /" 9)# /)+09"&";( )7.,3+)* 9)# /)+0
2)# +&-)9/* 739( +&-)9/*
*73&& 3++"%9/* &3,;) 3++"%9/*
&)** )A1),-)9+) 7",) )A1),-)9+)
2"+%*)' "9 ,-*= 7393;)7)9/ 2"+%*)' "9 ,)/%,9*
-92,)?%)9/ /,39*3+<"9* 2,)?%)9/ /,39*3+<"9*
'")* #03/ +&-)9/* 3*= 9);"<3/)* #-/0 +&-)9/
Spec|hc
Spectrum Proling Activities
lo eac| tyoe o use (o s|m||a tyoe o uses - |.e. |n t|e same |nousty)
2. share the S - 10 aur|butes each team member chose by pumng them up on the
wh|teboard
3. conso||date the numerous spectrums |nto one set of S-10
5 min
10 min
Spectrum Proling Activities
lo eac| tyoe o use (o s|m||a tyoe o uses - |.e. |n t|e same |nousty)
4. each team member p|aces a a un|que|y co|ored dot on the spectrums where they
th|nk |s most appropr|ate
S. connnue for a|| S-10 spectrums
5 min
5 min
Spectrum Proling Activities
lo eac| tyoe o use (o s|m||a tyoe o uses - |.e. |n t|e same |nousty)
6. stand back and nonce pauerns (| nme a||ows) 15 min
Spectrum Proling Activities
lo eac| tyoe o use (o s|m||a tyoe o uses - |.e. |n t|e same |nousty)
6. stand back and nonce pauerns (| nme a||ows)
l t|ee |s |mmeo|ate consensus, m|n|ma| o|scuss|on w||| be equ|eo.
l, |oweve, t|ee ae out||es o a boao o|st|bunon o oo|n|on, t|e team
s|ou|o be encouageo to o|scuss ano oebate t|ose |ssues.
Lo oatens |n t|e soectum vonng evea| t|at oe|aos w|at |as been
t|oug|t o as one oesona s|ou|o be so||t |nto two, o oo you ust not
unoestano enoug| to come to an ageement on w|at t||s tyoe o use |s |||e

for more |nfo:
|to://w|||.fu|oooect.og/o|so|ay/fu|o/lesona-Ceanon
Les|gn|ng o t|e L|g|ta| Age: oages 24/ - 26S
Spectrum Proling Activities
lo eac| tyoe o use (o s|m||a tyoe o uses - |.e. |n t|e same |nousty)
7. conso||date a|| 'vonng' dots |nto one dot per spectrum
l t|ee |s |mmeo|ate consensus, m|n|ma| o|scuss|on w||| be equ|eo.
l, |oweve, t|ee ae out||es o a boao o|st|bunon o oo|n|on, t|e team
s|ou|o be encouageo to o|scuss ano oebate t|ose |ssues.
texts often texts infrequently
texts often texts infrequently
10 min
Spectrum Proling Activities
lo eac| tyoe o use (o s|m||a tyoe o uses - |.e. |n t|e same |nousty)
7. p|ace the S - 10 spectrums on the back of the persona sheet
10 min
Stage 4
Personication
0:25
Purpose
6/ /0-* 1"-9/ ("% 03:) 3 .%9+0 "2 %*), /(1)*8 .%/ /0)( 3,) 9"/ ()/ 3 1,":-*-"93& 1),*"93D
E),*"9-2(-9; 73=)* )3+0 %*), /(1) 7",) 3 7",) +"9+,)/) 39' /39;-.&) )A371&)
Personication Activities
Ior each type of user determ|ne
name
oesc|onve |abe| (|.e. |moanent s|oooe)
stong quote |n t|e| own woos'
5 min
h|| out sncky notes
one conceot oe note
ba|n oumo - || out snc||es unn| you can't t||n| o any moe
p|ace sncky notes on a wa|| or wh|teboard
stand back, nonce pauerns and d|scuss as a team
c|uster notes |nto re|ated groups (amn|ty d|agram)
you may want to name c|ustes to c|a|y oata ano to ma|e o|scuss|on eas|e
ove t|e couse o o|scuss|on, c|ustes may mege o seoaate - |et t|e convesanon
natua||y go w|ee |t neeos to go unn| t|e team |s |aooy w|t| t|e c|uste|ng
determ|ne |f anyth|ng |s m|ss|ng
10 min
Personication Activities
1.h|| out the person|hcanon aur|butes on the front of your persona sheet
|n the top |eh quadrant
5 min
name
descriptive label
strong quote
End of the
Workshop
whats next
After the Workshop
Validate & Rene
Validate & Rene Activities
nave others (who weren't |n the persona workshop) rev|ew your prov|s|ona| personas.

eop|e cou|d be
Ct|es |n you comoany w|o equent|y |nteact w|t| eno uses
Subect Mate Lxoets outs|oe t|e comoany
Actua| uses

Ask 1hem
Ae t|ese t|e oeoo|e you |nteact w|t|
ls anyone m|ss|ng`
Ae t|ese ea||y a|| seoaate oeoo|e` lave you caotueo o|eences t|at ma|e a
o|eence"
Additional Sources
http://www.infoq.com/presentations/pragmatic-personas
http://vimeo.com/70214000
http://wiki.uidproject.org/display/uid/Personas
http://zenexmachina.wordpress.com/tag/pragmatic-personas/
http://uxmatters.com/mt/archives/2011/03/the-dangers-of-design-by-user.php
http://www.jnd.org/dn.mss/personas_empath.html
http://blogs.forrester.com/jonathan_browne/09-11-04-assumption_personas_handle_care
http://www.forrester.com/Assumption+Personas+Help+Overcome+Hurdles+To+Using+ResearchBased+Design
+Personas/fulltext/-/E-RES53874
http://uxmag.com/articles/using-proto-personas-for-executive-alignment
http://learningspacetoolkit.org/needs-assessment/working-with-data/creating-personas/
http://www.adaptivepath.com/ideas/avoiding-half-baked-personas/
http://uxoslo.com/2013/10/14/proto-personas/
http://www.cooper.com/journal/2008/07/personas_and_twinkies
http://boxesandarrows.com/building-a-data-backed-persona/
http://www.uie.com/events/virtual_seminars/ad_hoc_personas/
http://www.thingsontop.com/remixing-power-adhoc-personas-1020.html