How user personas can help crystallise the early stage design process

TL;DR; A large automotive client wanted to improve their dealer portal but the client needed guidance on understanding their audience’s needs and wants. Personas generation is a great to focus the team’s expectations and contributes to a better product and service.

B2B UX Case Study – Automotive Dealer Portal

I was recently asked to provide insight for a dealer portal for a very large automotive client. There was a definite opportunity in their market to improve their internal front end offering – but very early on it was clear there was a lack of understanding of who their audience was. How their needs and wants differed and what, as customers, they were looking for.

So, before deep-diving in the UX,  I produced a selection of personas to focus down the teams expectations and unite the groups thinking. I’m taking for granted that we are all aware that personas represent a typical user, based on user research and incorporate user goals, needs, and interests. Here I created four (4) personas, Hilary, Gary, Donald and Bernie;

1.1 – Hillary, a Competitive Owner / Consider

"“My

1.2 – Gary – First time buyer

“I’ve had lots of hand me downs and I’m ready to buy my first car. I want to be sure I’m getting a good deal and get something that feels like me.”
“I’ve had lots of hand me downs and I’m ready to buy my first car. I want to be sure I’m getting a good deal and get something that feels like me.”

1.3. – Donald – Online buyer / conquest

Donald - Online buyer / Conquest
“I’m a long time driver. I’m unhappy about a slew of recalls on my last vehicle. Why should I chose ?”

1.4. – Bernie – Existing owner

" “I

Key persona user journey

In this example, I have included below a mapped out detailed version ONE of these personas below. For the sake of argument I have chosen Hilary, but each of other three are equally important.

Here I dealt with “About Me” scenario

I’m always looking for an opportunity to lessen my impact on the environment. I want a car that meets my family’s needs and aligns with my values”
I’m always looking for an opportunity to lessen my impact on the environment. I want a car that meets my family’s needs and aligns with my values”

Next I looked at her “Digital Life”

cfr_globaldealerportalsolution-generic10

And finally I cherry-picked a key user scenery, there were three (3);

  1. Find a person like me
  2. Customise for my Family
  3. Overcome fear

And finally this example concentrates on “Find a person like me”

...offering more owner testimonials and a feed peer to peer comms...
…offering more owner testimonials and a feed peer to peer comms…

Personas enable you to design for customers with accuracy and confidence. Your goal is to create a shared understanding of just who you work for and how everyone can better serve them and result in you designing a much better product or service. Watch this space next month as I’ll then be detailing how these scenarios help inform the UX.

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  1. […] like early hypotheses session, through to personas building, demo’s and deep dives into feature lists discussion all still have their place in […]