Personas tool is a very smart instrument to develop empathy. I work in a big public

organization in Brazil and lately we are trying to create  work process who consider the

customers first of all. Our customers can be internal or external, however most of them have a

perception that they are not well served.

Once a year we have a MBA that contemplates the gerencial corps of  our

organization. The students initially defined the process which they worked with. After, they

defined the personas. At the start, they tended to stablish superficially personas, like a

caricature. A persona with only qualities or defects. They either tended to stablish just one

persona, although we know that is almost impossible to concentrate in one persona all the

multiple characteristics of the customers.

However, as soon they understand the importance to define a real  personas, the

exercise start to become more realistic and more effective to create strategies to the work.

Recently, we are working in a transformation of our web site. Our site focus highly

in the functional structure. So, it’s very difficult to the final user to understand this logic. They

didn’t know how to find something because they don’t know our functional structure. For

example: to go to our external visitation link, the users have to click in eight links. It’s

unbelievable.

To solve this problem, the firm who was contracted to reformed the site, started to

create personas that would symbolizing the users. But before it   they put many civil servants of

our organization to find some specific information in the site. The most of them failed to

encounter this information in a reasonable time even working in the organization.

After this, the contracted firm asked the civil servants to start create personas who

would represent the real personas who really would represent the citizens that use the site. This

approach brought incredible experiences since the users of our intranet are very different. Their

profiles are variable as they represent all Brazilian people.

This process wont is easy because some of our civil servants refused to participate

appropriately and they was discrediting the work. To them it was fundamental to keep the site

based on functional patterns.

Then, the team responsible to apply the personas techniques gathered this group

to revise the technical fundaments of the tool. They demonstrated them the successful cases

around the world to solve certain kinds of problems. And they emphasizes “ the importance of

deep exploration into the lives and the problems of the people we hope to generate value for,

before we’re allowed to start generating solutions (user-driven design)”.

After this, the team was on the same level to discuss and create personas to make

the site with a friendly approach to the final user.


Personas tool is a very smart instrument to develop empathy . I work in a big public organization in Brazil and lately we are trying to create work process who consider the customers first of all . Our customers can be internal or external , however most of them have a perception that they are not well served . Once a year we have a MBA that contemplates the gerencial corps of our organization . The students initially defined the process which they worked with . After , they defined the personas . At the start , they tended to stablish superficially personas , like a caricature . A persona with only qualities or defects . They either tended to stablish just one persona , although we know that is almost impossible to concentrate in one persona all the multiple characteristics of the customers . However , as soon they understand the importance to define a real personas , the exercise start to become more realistic and more effective to create strategies to the work . Recently , we are working in a transformation of our web site . Our site focus highly in the functional structure . So , it ’s very difficult to the final user to understand this logic . They did n’t know how to find something because they do n’t know our functional structure . For example : to go to our external visitation link , the users have to click in eight links . It ’s unbelievable . To solve this problem , the firm who was contracted to reformed the site , started to create personas that would symbolizing the users . But before it they put many civil servants of our organization to find some specific information in the site . The most of them failed to encounter this information in a reasonable time even working in the organization . After this , the contracted firm asked the civil servants to start create personas who would represent the real personas who really would represent the citizens that use the site . This approach brought incredible experiences since the users of our intranet are very different . Their profiles are variable as they represent all Brazilian people . This process wo nt is easy because some of our civil servants refused to participate appropriately and they was discrediting the work . To them it was fundamental to keep the site based on functional patterns . Then , the team responsible to apply the personas techniques gathered this group to revise the technical fundaments of the tool . They demonstrated them the successful cases around the world to solve certain kinds of problems . And they emphasizes “ the importance of deep exploration into the lives and the problems of the people we hope to generate value for , before we ’re allowed to start generating solutions ( user - driven design ) ” . After this , the team was on the same level to discuss and create personas to make the site with a friendly approach to the final user .