Building user personas for a better UX in software

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user persona
Michał Dudziński
Latest posts by Michał Dudziński (see all)

Functionality matters. You came to us to get certain features. We will help you build a full backlog of these. And it is our job to hire the best developers who will then get them done. But be aware! Don’t fall into that rabbit hole where all you think about is yet another function or automatization.

When creating a new digital product, it is important to ensure that it will be well-received by its users.

One way to achieve this, is by developing user personas and designing the product, so it fits their needs. Not just bury them in only apparent enhancements.

In this article, I will explain the concept of user personas and how to use them in order to create a pleasant user experience.

Keep on reading to find out how to make your brand-new software user-friendly.

What are user personas?

Personas are fictional characters that represent different types of users who will be interacting with your software. By creating personas, you can better understand the needs, goals, and pain points of your target audience, and design software that meets those needs in an intuitive and user-friendly way.

How to prepare a user persona?

Creating a user persona typically includes identifying key information such as the user’s:

  • goals,
  • frustrations,
  • motivations,
  • preferred communication channels,
  • personality traits,
  • demographics,
  • and a brief bio.

This information can be gathered and organized using special tools and apps, or by simply writing it down in a document.

The more detailed and accurate your user persona is, the better it will be in informing your marketing and product development strategies.

Why user personas matter in software development?

Creating personas is an important step in the design and development of software. By understanding the needs and goals of your users, you can create software that is intuitive and user-friendly. Personas can also be used throughout the design and development process to inform design decisions and guide usability testing. With effective personas, you can ensure that your software is tailored to the needs of your target audience, resulting in a better user experience.

4 key steps in building user personas

  • Research: The first step in building personas is to conduct research on your target audience. This can include surveys, interviews, and user testing. This research will help you understand the demographics, behaviors, and needs of your users.
  • Consolidation: Once you have collected data on your users, it’s time to consolidate that information into a few representative personas. Each persona should have a name, age, occupation, and other demographic information, as well as a set of goals, pain points, and behaviors.
  • Validation: After you have created your personas, it’s important to validate them with real users. This will help you ensure that the personas are accurate and that they are representative of your target audience.
  • Use: Once your personas are complete, they should be used throughout the design and development process. Personas can be used to inform the design of user interfaces, to guide usability testing, and to make decisions about features and functionality.

Difference between in-house and customer-facing apps

When developing an in-house app, it’s important to survey your employees to gain insight into the characteristics and segmentation of your users. This will allow you to create accurate user personas that reflect the needs and behavior of your staff.

On the other hand, when creating a customer-facing app, it’s essential to consider your current or target users and conduct research to develop key personas. Without this information, there is a risk of developing an app that doesn’t meet the needs or preferences of your intended audience.

What else to remember when creating user personas?

When creating user personas, it’s important to research the software they frequently use. You should consider their level of satisfaction with each app. By analyzing what they like and dislike about these digital tools, you can improve your own application by eliminating pain points and incorporating positive features.

Additionally, if you have multiple personas for your application, you may need to customize the view and workflow for each user group. For example, an IT admin staff may have more configurable options than a sales team. For the latter, prepare a clear dashboard and limited configuration options.

If you skip this step, and forget that any software is made for humans to use, you will have a hard time with its adoption. Possibly you will even waste money on unnecessary and only apparent enhancements.

The importance of choosing the right software house

When selecting a software house for your next project, it is beneficial to chose one that has expertise in user experience and can assist in creating specific user personas for your product. By doing so, the end result will be a product that is desirable and enjoyable for users.

Only this way, you’ll wind up with a software that people actually want to (and like to!) use.

So from now on, let’s consider the usability of each feature together. eVolpe is a company that can assist you in creating user-friendly applications, and will provide you guidance throughout the entire process.

Reach out to learn more about our services.

Michał Dudziński
Latest posts by Michał Dudziński (see all)
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