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UGeneralUpdated 2 Nov 2026

User personas

Fictional representations of target users based on research and data.

Definition

User personas is the fictional representations of target users based on research and data. Founders reach for it when a vague conversation needs a shared, specific meaning. Name it clearly, then let the next decision — a hire, a price, a test, or a pass — follow from that meaning.

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In the room

How the word shows up in a real conversation.

Two cofounders disagree until they define User personas. Once they agree it means “Fictional representations of target users based on research and data”, the argument becomes a decision.

Common mistake

Using User personas as a label instead of a fact. If you cannot point to the evidence — a number, a customer, or a written assumption — you are using the word as jargon.

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