While you must be aware of the fact that surveys and research are very crucial elements in creating apps, have you ever examined the true relevance of creating user personas before developing apps? Creating user personas is really very important in app development because it helps you develop something the customer would relate to. Once your research is completed, you emulate the collected points and create fake, but realistic looking profiles of people depending on their age, sex and demographic specifications.
User personas are also classified according to the users� needs and requirements, behaviors, attitudes and pain points. Personas can help you address problems and challenges that may have been inadequately addressed till now. They are created purely for reference purposes, to help the development team make a successful app that will bear good results. Now that we have established the importance of user personas, let�s look at some of the benefits of creating user personas:
1. Bring More Focused Outcomes
A major benefit of buyer persona is that the entire development team will be focused on who the target user is. This will also avoid the risk of the app fashioning out in the interests of the designer, when it actually should contain the requirements/aspirations of the user. This will also nullify any confusion that might develop among team members.
Takeaway: Focused outcomes; the entire development team has no difference of opinion on what the end result should be.
2. There is Consensus among Team Members
In any team, you will find people with varying skills and expertise indulging in their duties. The development team must be of one opinion about a particular feature; the administration and the stakeholders should have a clear picture so there will be no more differences of opinion. With user personas, the concept is clear, and everyone is on the same page. There is no difference of opinion on what the end result should be.
Takeaway: Lack of communication among members of development team and the administration, including stakeholders is practically nil.
3. User Personas Help in User Focused Reasoning
You and the team have brainstormed on the idea of having an app to cater to the requirements of a particular category of people. But is it really something what they want right now? What if your app idea is not something that is in conjunction with the user�s demands at the present moment? So all the decisions that you make regarding the new app must be on user-focused reasoning; buyer personas can help you with that.
Takeaway: Validate all the decisions that the team makes, to ensure success in every way.
4. Helps in Making Better Apps
Creating archetypes of customers would be helpful in better product development. This is possible through the proper alignment of your goals with customer requirements. You are most likely to be in the business of app development long term if you can relate to your customers and grow your products accordingly.
Takeaway: Can help you deliver better and more successful apps.
5. Aids in Product Positioning
Referring to the buyer persona would help you place your apps in the market. This can also help you overcome problems and challenges that the team may have to face at the time of product positioning. In this manner, you would be able to make the best use of existing marketing techniques.
Takeaway: Leveraging the benefits of user persona would help in product positioning.
Bonus: Personas Help you Find your Customers
We observed how personas help you understand the needs and requirements of your users. Now once your app is made, these personas would help you position it in such a way that you receive maximum exposure for high quality leads. For example, if your personas are mostly Facebook users, you will know where to market your app. This proves that you can depend on personas to market your apps.
Takeaway: Get an insight into where your customers spend their time online. There is actually no limit to how many personas you can create. It all depends on how many apps you are planning to create and in what niches.
Wrapping Up
User personas can be totally fictitious, meaning they are virtually non-existent but representative of people to whom your app will ultimately reach. In order to make it easier, the development team will make user personas with realistic names, even a picture, a background for the person, the career they might follow, geographical location and even which platform (iOS, Android, Windows, etc.) they would be running the app in. Thus, when you use personas, you are actually targeting users with specific interests, wants and needs, and not your view of what they might need. This would improve your relationship with them in a better way as you can relate to them in the way they want. Interested in creating an app that will be a hit with your target users? We�re here to help.
