Projects/Usability/HIG/Persona: Difference between revisions

From KDE TechBase
< Projects‎ | Usability‎ | HIG
No edit summary
Line 3: Line 3:
== Purpose ==
== Purpose ==


A ''persona'' is a representation of a virtual user, based on empirical data. The description includes a concise summary of characteristics of the user, their experience, goals and tasks, pain points, and environmental conditions. Personas describe the target users, giving a clear picture of how they're likely to use the system, and what they’ll expect from it.
A ''persona'' is the representation of a virtual user, based on empirical data. The description includes a concise summary of characteristics of the user, their experience, goals and tasks, pain points, and environmental conditions. Personas describe the target users, giving a clear picture of how they're likely to use the system, and what they’ll expect from it.


The advantage of persona is a common understanding over the development team and the dissociation from the personal point of view. In contrast to alternative methods like lead user(s) (usually the developer itself), a panel of real users or a description per sociological milieus, persona are more representative, faster to access, and easier to understand. Its a very efficient method.
The advantage of persona is a common understanding over the development team and the dissociation from the personal point of view. In contrast to alternative methods like lead user(s) (usually the developer itself), a panel of real users or a description per sociological milieus, persona are more representative, faster to access, and easier to understand.  


== Guidelines ==
== Guidelines ==
* Always define persona on ground of empirical data.
* Add enough information to establish a good impression of the target user. But do not write a novel and stay concise.
* Common elements are: name, job titles and major responsibilities, demographics such as age, education, ethnicity, and family status, goals and tasks they are trying to complete using the application, physical, social, and technological environment.
* Add a quote that sums up what matters most to the persona and a casual pictures representing that user group.
* Discriminate between primary (the basic user) and secondary (additional users) persona. If it makes sense, describe the group of users that is explicitly not supported by a anti-persona. Respect the law of parsimony and have as few personas as possible.
* Make sure your persona can act in different [[Projects/Usability/HIG/Scenario|scenarios].


== Best Practice ==
== Best Practice ==
http://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Usability/Principles/KDE4_Personas
* Try to use the predefined [http://techbase.kde.org/Projects/Usability/Principles/KDE4_Personas| KDE personas].


[[Category:Usability]][[Category:Structure]][[Category:Task_Flow]]
[[Category:Usability]][[Category:Structure]][[Category:Task_Flow]]

Revision as of 13:12, 28 January 2014


Purpose

A persona is the representation of a virtual user, based on empirical data. The description includes a concise summary of characteristics of the user, their experience, goals and tasks, pain points, and environmental conditions. Personas describe the target users, giving a clear picture of how they're likely to use the system, and what they’ll expect from it.

The advantage of persona is a common understanding over the development team and the dissociation from the personal point of view. In contrast to alternative methods like lead user(s) (usually the developer itself), a panel of real users or a description per sociological milieus, persona are more representative, faster to access, and easier to understand.

Guidelines

  • Always define persona on ground of empirical data.
  • Add enough information to establish a good impression of the target user. But do not write a novel and stay concise.
  • Common elements are: name, job titles and major responsibilities, demographics such as age, education, ethnicity, and family status, goals and tasks they are trying to complete using the application, physical, social, and technological environment.
  • Add a quote that sums up what matters most to the persona and a casual pictures representing that user group.
  • Discriminate between primary (the basic user) and secondary (additional users) persona. If it makes sense, describe the group of users that is explicitly not supported by a anti-persona. Respect the law of parsimony and have as few personas as possible.
  • Make sure your persona can act in different [[Projects/Usability/HIG/Scenario|scenarios].

Best Practice