The Who of a Web Site: Target Audience
To create a successful Web site that delights our intended users, we must get to know our target audience.
Two powerful methods are:
- Interviewing target customers using open-ended questions to learn about the context of their work.
- Observing them as they use an existing site or competitor's site. Have them think out loud to understand their larger goals, rather than just the tasks they perform.
From the information and understanding gained we can create personas: user archetypes that guide design decisions about features, navigation and interaction.
Personas
Personas help avoid the problem of elastic target users where Novice Ned with a clunky dial-up connection morphs into Savvy Sally with a cable modem and the latest plug-ins because we want to justify using a big Flash demo on the site.
By designing for an archetype whose goals and behavior patterns we understand, we satisfy the larger group that the persona represents. Personas embody behavior patterns, not job descriptions or sales targets. By giving each persona a name, set of goals and a few personal details, we make them real enough that we care about their needs, which drives us to create innovative solutions.
As we design a business banking Web site, for example, we ask whether the level of security we plan will reassure Jane Smith, our harried sole proprietor who wants to save time by banking online as long as her data is safe. Personas minimize feature creep by keeping the team focused on who the product is and isn't for. (Jane would never use such a feature.)
Provisional Personas
If there's limited time or money to gather user data, you might use provisional personas as a shortcut to focus on user needs and characteristics.
Provisional personas can be created with the help of employees like Customer Service reps who are in daily contact with customers and know their needs and concerns, the sales process, and the business area. Although they fall short of the real thing, provisional personas can help avoid the elastic user syndrome and give us a tangible way to think about customers, understand their needs, and make informed decisions about site design.
For tips on using personas to drive design, see:
See how provisional personas can improve a Web site on a tight budget:
For other keys to successful Web sites, please see: