Product Shaping: How creating Personas can change the shape of our products

In the product development life cycle, Product Managers (PMs) navigate through various stages: discovery, shaping, building, and reflection. Despite attempts to optimise or "hack" this cycle for improved outcomes, the primary focus for PMs should remain on the profound understanding that products can be continuously refined and shaped to meet user needs better. These needs are identified through a range of research methodologies, including the creation and utilisation of personas, which provide detailed insights into user behaviours and preferences.

We create personas to represent our Ideal customers. Even though personas are fictional characters, they should be detailed with user data. When we personify our target market, personas enable product teams to better empathise with users and make more informed decisions throughout this cycle.

How do you create Personas as PMs? 

We start with conducting User Research. Begin by gathering data through various research methods such as interviews, surveys, and user testing. As PMs, we will collect comprehensive information about users' demographics, behaviours, goals, and pain points. For example, a sample of users can be interviewed to understand their daily routines and challenges with existing products, or surveys can be conducted to collect quantitative data on user preferences and habits. Save all these user data for the next steps of the process. 

Analysing User Data to Identify Behavioral Patterns

Analyse the data collected to identify patterns and shared characteristics among your users. Group similar users together to form the basis of your personas. For instance,  a significant portion of your user base comprises young professionals who value convenience and efficiency. At the same time, another segment consists of older adults who prioritise simplicity and ease of use.

Develop Persona Profiles

Create detailed profiles for each persona, including name, age, occupation, background, goals, challenges, and preferences. Try adding a photo to make the persona feel more real. For example, you might develop a persona named "John," a 34-year-old marketing manager who is tech-proficient and values productivity tools that integrate seamlessly with his workflow. Include his goals (Ex, managing multiple projects efficiently) and challenges (Ex, difficulty finding tools that offer comprehensive reporting features).

Validating and Refining Process

Share the personas with stakeholders and use their feedback to refine them. Ensure that the personas accurately represent your user base. For instance, present the personas to your development and marketing teams and gather their input on whether they align with their understanding of the users. Adjust the personas based on this feedback to ensure they are comprehensive and realistic.

Regular Updates 

The last step is integrating personas into your product development process, ensuring that they inform design decisions, feature prioritisation, and marketing strategies. Regularly update the personas to reflect new insights and changes in user behaviour. For example, after launching a new feature for your product, gather user feedback and update the personas to include any new goals or challenges that emerge. This ongoing process ensures that the personas remain relevant and valuable. 

The Impact of Personas in Product shaping is visible in these examples during different processes of Product development 

Scenario in Product Roadmaps

Example: Consider a mental health app that develops personas such as "Stressed Professional" and "College Student." The "Stressed Professional" might require features for quick mindfulness exercises and work-life balance tips. At the same time, the "College Student" might need tools for managing academic stress and access to peer support groups. The product roadmap can be structured to introduce features catering to these specific needs sequentially, ensuring each user group receives tailored support.

Scenario in Product Design Process

Example: Let's take a smart home device management app for both Tech proficient homeowners and less tech-literate elderly users. Without personas, the product design might disproportionately favour one group, alienating the other. By developing detailed personas for each group, the design can accommodate both, offering features like simplified device setup for seniors and advanced customization options for tech-proficient homeowners.

Scenario in Prioritization

Example: Imagine a collaborative coding platform identifying two primary personas: "Lead Developer" and "Junior Developer." The Lead Developer persona might prioritise advanced code review tools and integration with project management software, while the Junior Developer persona might value ease of use, tutorials, and mentorship features. Understanding these distinctions allows the development team to prioritise features that effectively address the needs of both personas, enhancing the overall user experience.

Scenario in Usability

Example: Consider a language learning app with personas such as "Casual Learner" and "A Polyglot." The "Casual Learner" might prefer gamified lessons and daily practice reminders, whereas the "Polyglot" might need comprehensive grammar guides and advanced vocabulary lists. Designing with these personas in mind ensures the app addresses the diverse needs of its users, providing both engaging and in-depth learning experiences.

The Takeaway

Including personas in our product development cycle can improve the process and PMs. We have the chance to be creative and stimulate our imagination; on the other hand, we become better at storytelling and problem-solving. Also, the most critical part is connecting with people during the Personas process, as we explained - we build empathy and human connection, making us better at genuinely understanding user needs.