[9-HI™ Dictionary] Actor / User Personae
A persona, in user-centered design is a fictional character created to represent a user type that may use a technology in a similar way. Personas help user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) designers understand user needs, experiences, behaviors and goals. Personas make the design task less complex, guide the ideation process and help to achieve the goal of creating a good user experience for the target user group. Personas are created based on real data collected from multiple individuals. When persona profiles are created of typical or atypical users, it helps to understand use patterns, which aides in the design process.