"Gone are the days where a stock photo profile is a cohesive persona example. When we look at persona designs and development, we often focus so much on digging into data, that we forget the most important part...what does the persona look like? How are we sharing that information with clients to inform business decisions? Say goodbye to large spreadsheets with a photo or icon of John Doe and Jane Smith. Personas are polarizing and can overemphasize physical traits over deep mental models that inform businesses on how to really connect with leads. Over 8+ years I have developed successful inclusive archetypal profiles and infographics to avoid ""profiling by demographics"". Building archetypes is a more memorable and inclusive way to bridge the gap between focusing on customer behaviors that drive business value. This talk will reframe the persona narrative to focus on what really matters in customer design models."

1. Personas are
Polarizing
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Deepen customer connections with
inclusive strategic design
Personas are Polarizing Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
All rights reserved. No repurposing of any kind is without permission in writing from the author.
All illustrations, profiles and artifacts created and owned by Lisa Vissichelli and
may not be reproduced or shared without written consent.
The rights to Guess who are owned by Hasbro and are referenced in an educational context
Photography all is from istock and was purchased for educational context
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

2. Lisa Vissichelli
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
All rights reserved. Visuals may be shared for non-commercial use only
All illustrations, profiles and artifacts created and owned by Lisa Vissichelli and may not be reproduced or shared
without written consent.
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
The rights to Guess who are owned by Hasbro and are referenced in an educational context
Photography all is from istock and was purchased for educational context
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

3. Persona
A persona, in user-centered design and marketing is a fictional character
created to represent a user type that might use a site, brand, or product
in a similar way. Marketers may use personas together with market
segmentation, where the qualitative personas are constructed to be
representative of specific segments.
- Wikipedia
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

4. Meet John Doe
About John
● John is saving buy new home and support growing
family.
● He is balancing a stable income and was recently
promoted
● John wants to make the most of assets and
investments
Challenges
● John is trying to future proof his finance but due to
lack of experience and know-how he is stressed.
● He is unsure where to invest his money and how to
plan for the future.
Opportunity
● Help John feel supported in his decision making.
● Reassure him with clear guidelines and information.
Age: 30-40
Work: Manager, Finance
Family: Married with kids
Locations: New York, NY
HHI: >$200K
Character: Segment B
Motivations
Personality
Introvert Extrovert
Analytical Creative
Conservative Liberal
Passive Active
APY
Points
Savings
Credit
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

5. Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

6. Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

7. PERSONAS ARE POLARIZING
Guess Who?
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022

8. Guess Who is Polarizing?
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022

9. Guess Who is Polarizing?
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022 Sources: Photos from iStock, Text from @Lisa Vissichelli 2022

10. Guess Who is Polarizing?
Unconscious bias
towards white
male(85%) leadership
causes DEI challenges
- Mercer
47% are the
‘Breadwinners’, 50%
manage the majority of
the household workload.
- Motherly
60% of Doctors
under 35 were
woman in 2019
- Washington Post
50+ is the average
age of small
business owners
- Experian
POLARIZING
POLARIZING
POLARIZING
POLARIZING
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022 Sources: Photos from iStock, Text from @Lisa Vissichelli 2022

11. 59%
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
95% 90%
Americans think news
organizations do not
understand people
like them
- PEW
purchasing decisions are
subconscious
- Digital Humans
information transmitted
to the brain is visual
- MIT

12. Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
82%
companies using personas improved
their value proposition
- SharpSpring

13. Inclusive
Archetyping
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022

14. Sources: Photos from iStock,
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

15. ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
Sources: Photos from iStock,
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

16. ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

17. Sources: Photos from iStock,
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

18. The Protector
The Mom
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

19. Make it Metaphoric
The Protector The Lone Wolf The Chameleon The Socializer
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022 ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022 ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022 ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

20. 1. Focus on representing
motivating traits
1. Look for a unifying decision or
motivation that diversify each
personality
1. Explore characteristics that
can be exaggerated into
visualizations
Analogy
Tips
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

21. Inclusive Archetyping
Life Stages
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022

22. Sources: Photos from iStock,
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

23. Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

24. Find a Comparative Analogy
Leading Juggling Balancing Training
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

25. 1. Focus on how the path ahead is
different for each use case
1. Showcase the barrier to
overcome in each situation.
1. Explore how behaviors can
fluctuate or change.
Life Stages
Tips
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
Copyright ©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

26. Inclusive Archetyping
Task Oriented
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022

27. Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022 Sources: Photos from iStock,

28. Diving
Personify The Path
Growing Defending
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

29. Task Oriented
Tips
1. Showcase the barrier to
overcome in each situation.
1. Simplify roles into objects or
symbols.
1. Explore scale and industry
nuance.
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022

30. Final Takeaways
Building Inclusive
Profiles
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022

31. Who are
they?
Find a Metaphor
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

32. What do
they do?
Look for Actions
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

33. Where
does the
path lead?
Identify Goals & Triggers
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022

34. Take a card
Break the mold
Get started
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022

35. Let’s build a more
inclusive world
together
Lisa Vissichelli
UXPA 2022

36. Thank You!
Lisa Vissichelli
Lisavissichelli.com
Lisavissdesigns@gmail.com
Incite-Global.com
All illustrations, profiles and artifacts created by Lisa Vissichelli
©Lisa Vissichelli 2022
The rights to Guess who are owned by Hasbro and are referenced in an educational context
Photography all is from istock and was purchased for educational context