UXR - Update User Personas

[hworthen]

Dependency

• [ ] Revisit this once we have (re)launched, then we will analyze the notes from this Research Plan
• [ ] Determine if this should be an epic

Overview

We need to re-connect with our users, and start thinking about users outside of only NC members.

Action Items (from the original plan)

• [x] Meet with HfLA leadership, new PMs, and project leads to discuss who are users are
• [x] Determine who we think user personas could be (current ideas: NC member, average citizen, researcher/journalist, homeless advocate)
• [x] #1570
• [x] #1579

2025 action items

• [ ] Synthesize findings from all the studies below
• [ ] Create personas
• [ ] Update with any new findings from #2006

Resources/Instructions

• Figma template for personas
• Request analysis, by neighborhood
  • Note for research & product: this folder seems to be in Holly's files but we have a copy in our Personas folder.
• RP014 findings
• Personas, User Stories & Journeys folder

For research roadmap, see: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dmtwTkiNj1pSycZqpn7S_Uk6vStUlS1-n_-rSq9IoEU?usp=drive_fs

[jberzowska]

Note: the first part of a personas exercise isn't just about describing specific user types, but also around determining who we're building the app for. Whose needs are we looking to meet? Who will get the most value from our visualizations and exports? And, conversely, who is less of a priority for us?

@ryanfchase - I've run workshops & design activities like this before, but need a bit of input first. Is this information we already have? Where can I look up our most recent product strategy documentation?

[cottonchristopher]

Hello. I did find these. Is this what you are looking for as far as product strategy documentation?

1. https://docs.google.com/document/d/13ID7zSCumI7gIlc8TT7JYPsZga8H8RK2QuSv-v9xOSM/edit?tab=t.0
2. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-8gmeC-wnfM8C8fVvmTP1BLA2WfNjKH_XJrHB1OAV6Q/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.c8tc614ce3iu it was last updated 2/28/2025 When you say product strategy documentation would that be similar or another way of saying strategy template?

I found a few other resources and I could probably compile it and come up with a template if we don't have one. The closest thing that I found was from 2023 so far. @jberzowska

[jberzowska]

@cottonchristopher - I don't have access to that first document. And the second isn't quite what I was looking for.

But by strategy, I meant more, what are the guiding principles we're using to design and build the 311 data app? In other words, what is our purpose and what are we trying to accomplish? I got a decent answer to this question in a chat last week with Ryan and Dana. But I also appreciate your help with this. I will move this back to ready for prioritization if that works for you.

[danagfleming]

Moved to the icebox because progress is product launch is listed as a dependency. @jberzowska let me know if I'm interpreting that correctly!

[jberzowska]

I think we could work on this now, but it won't make any difference to launch. I agree that it makes sense to hold this until later, especially given that we don't have focus audiences at this time.

[danagfleming]

Okay as long as it makes sense to you - I moved it out of strict logic (if dependency then icebox) but I see it's a really active ticket so wanted to check in.