In user-centered design, personas and user journeys are archetypal representations of the people who will be using our products and the “journey” that leads them to and through the product.

Ideally, a UX persona helps the team empathize with and design based on the needs of the users the persona represents. In order to be truly effective, a persona must be specific to the thing being designed. It isn’t enough to know that “Chuck” is an investment banker who likes good food and reads the New York Times. Chuck’s persona must tell the design team what he’s looking for on the website: