USER PERSONA & USER STORIES.
User personas and user stories are essential tools in user-centered
design and agile development, helping teams understand and address
user needs.
User personas are fictional representations of target users, based on
research, while user stories are brief descriptions of user needs written
from their perspective, often following the format
"As a [user persona], I want [an action] so that [a goal].“
Personas inform the creation of relevant user stories and help maintain
a user focus throughout the development process.
User Personas:
Definition:
User personas are fictional, yet realistic, representations of
your target users.
They are not real people but are based on user research and
data to represent a specific user segment.
Purpose:
Personas help teams understand user needs, behaviors, and
motivations, which guides design decisions and development
efforts.
Characteristics:
Personas typically include a name, picture, demographics, goals, and
motivations, and sometimes even frustrations.
Benefits:
Personas help teams empathize with users, identify potential usability
issues, and prioritize features based on user needs.
Example:
A persona might be "Sarah, a 28-year-old marketing manager who
values convenience and ease of use when managing her social media
accounts".
"Sarah, a 30-year-old marketing manager, values efficiency and uses
productivity apps to manage her busy schedule. She needs a tool that
integrates with her calendar and email to easily schedule tasks and track
progress.”
User Stories:
Definition:
User stories are short, simple descriptions of a user's need, written from
the user's perspective, often following the "As a... I want... so that..."
format.
Purpose:
User stories capture user requirements in a clear and concise manner,
making them easy to understand and implement.
Characteristics:
User stories should be INVEST (Independent, Negotiable, Valuable,
Estimable, Small, Testable).
Structure:
Typically follow the format: "As a <user type>, I want <some goal> so
that <some reason>"
Benefits:
User stories help teams focus on user needs, prioritize development
efforts, and test the product against user requirements.
Example:
"As a registered user, I want to be able to reset my password if I forget it
so that I can regain access to my account".
“As a marketing manager, I want to be able to easily schedule
appointments in the app so that I can manage my time effectively."
Relationship between Personas and User Stories:
Personas provide the context for user stories, helping teams understand who
the user is and what they are trying to achieve.
User stories are written from the perspective of a specific persona, reflecting
their needs and goals.
One persona can generate multiple user stories, reflecting different interactions
and needs.
For example, the "Sarah" persona mentioned above might generate user stories
like:
"As Sarah, I want to be able to schedule social media posts in advance so
that I can manage my time effectively“
"As Sarah, I want to see a preview of my post before publishing so that I
can ensure it looks good".
By combining personas and user stories, teams can create a more user-centered
and effective product.
