Usability Personas

Another tool in our user-centered design arsenal

What is a usability persona? Well, a definition is probably not as important as what a usability persona accomplishes. A usability personal allows you to picture users and design for fully fleshed out characters with needs and wants, a background and probably even a back story.

A user persona is a fictional character based on interviews with your real users. A persona is probably a composite of several of your real users. So why not just design for your real users?

Well, a persona is more of an archetype, while a collection of usability personas allows you to design for a variety of archetypes. If you strategize properly, you can cover the majority of users of your site or interface.

When we create a persona we create a full bodied person, not just a collection of characteristics. All the players on Interpix's design team come to "sort of know" who the persona is. Much like a real person, we each focus on certain aspects of that persona - because we all know the person differently. We believe in an approach to personas that rises above criticisms.

Usability personas are just a part of our suite of usability consulting services.

Take a close look at Interpix for your critical design or redesign.