As we expanded into the B2B market, we recognized that our approach needed to evolve to address a new set of users. Unlike our previous focus, this meant understanding the distinct needs of fleet managers, administrative roles, and other B2B stakeholders who would interact with our product. This shift in context drove the need for a new set of personas tailored to these business users.
I was limited by the fact that this project was being initiated and so data on fleet manager and fleet drivers was not readily available to use. As a result, this was a close collaboration with the commercial team to gain insights from their business acumen to frame launch.
With research learnings in hand, the proto personas development meant these transitioned into detailed architypes that recognised core differences between user tasks, needs and frustrations through real user insights. They actively informed key journeys in the product suck as bulk actions to reduce repeat tasks from an actions panel.
I began with proto personas based on what reasonable assumptions we could make from commercial knowledge to give us a starting point. This working foundation enabled designing for the core audience from an informed stance and ready t be shaped by data.
We reached out to users and conducted email surveys and ran in depth interviews to validate and direct the proto-personas into being reliable and accurate compasses that would guide the product. These steps helped us gain insights about the users mental models of a day in their life and ultimately enabling us to have a more user centric approach.
We facilitated collaborative workshops that allowed each team to contribute their independent knowledge, effectively breaking down silos. We then consolidated this information into a central repository of user personas and insights, which served as a living source of truth. This approach ensured that we aligned everyone’s understanding efficiently and without a heavy drain on resources.
Bringing teams together early surfaced valuable insights that would not have emerged through research alone. Treating personas as a living artefact, rather than a one-off deliverable, made them far more useful over time. Running the work alongside delivery, rather than as a heavyweight initiative, helped it gain adoption without resistance.
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