Throughout this course, we will use a number of user personas that represent a variety of folks who may live in areas across Canada. These personas are not based on real people, but rather on a snapshot of a few different types of people who might live in our neighbourhoods. User personas are fictional representations (based on real user research) of different types of users that help understand their needs, behaviours, and motivations. User personas originated in the field of user-centred design and were popularized by Alan Cooper in the 1980s as a method of guiding software development. This course will make use of a number of user personas that represent a variety of folks who may live in areas across Canada.

Here are the fictional personas that will bring some of the concepts of market research to life thought this resource:

Isabella (she/her)

Background: Isabella, 49, lives on a farm in rural Saskatchewan. She inherited the farm from her parents and is passionate about sustaining her family’s legacy. Isabella manages a small-scale organic produce business alongside her husband. She’s motivated to learn more about marketing to expand their reach beyond local farmer’s markets.

Education: Isabella attended a community college and graduated with an Agriculture diploma.

Social values: Isabella is passionate about her small, rural community and supports sustainable living and local food.

Hobbies and Interests: Isabella doesn’t have a lot of free time due to her work schedule as a farmer, but is passionate about 4-H and teaching young people about farming, gardening, food preparation and food sovereignty.

Marketing Goals: Isabella’s goals are to expand some of her organic honey and prepared preserves beyond farmer’s markets sales.

Challenges: Limited access to high-speed internet for online learning, understanding urban consumer behaviours, and competition with larger commercial farms.

 

Daniel  (he/him)

Background: Daniel, 30, resides in a suburban neighbourhood near Toronto. He works as a marketing coordinator for a mid-sized tech company. He’s keen on enhancing his market research skills to identify emerging consumer trends and refine their company’s product positioning.

Education: Daniel has a bachelor’s degree in commerce from an Ontario university. He is considering pursuing an MBA in the future.

Social values: Daniel is very close to his family, who live in a small town outside of Toronto. He wants to ensure that he can help provide support for his grandparents and parents as they age and he isn’t interested in having children of his own. Daniel is still in touch with friends from grade school, although most of them still reside in the small town where he grew up.

Hobbies and Interests: Daniel loves to listen to marketing podcasts, and likes to save up for summer vacations throughout Canada. Daniel is interested in participating in marketing or tech-related professional groups, forums, or associations to network, exchange ideas, and gain insights from industry peers.

Marketing Goals: Improve consumer segmentation strategies, utilize data analytics for better decision-making, and understand the impact of socio-economic factors on consumer behaviour.

Challenges: Balancing work commitments with studies, navigating complex data analysis tools, and applying market research findings within the tech industry.

Maya (she/they)

Background: Maya, 28, lives in downtown Vancouver and works as a freelance graphic designer from her home office. Maya is a single mother with a small child and they rent the top floor of a home. She’s eager to delve into market research to broaden her skill set, seeking to offer comprehensive branding services to her clients.

Education: Maya has a college diploma in graphic design.

Social Values: Maya is a first generation Canadian, with parents from another country. Maya is passionate about teaching her children about cultural traditions that are important to her and her parents, who have since passed away.

Hobbies and Interests: Maya doesn’t have much time for hobbies, as she spends most of her free time running errands and taking her small child to swimming lessons or playdates. Maya enjoys yoga but does it at home using an app, as she isn’t able to get away from her house except on brief breaks during the day when her daughter is at preschool.

Marketing Goals: Learn how market research can enhance design choices, understand client target audiences better, and offer data-driven design solutions.

Challenges: Juggling multiple freelance projects, finding time for additional learning, and applying market research findings effectively in design projects.

Alex (they/them)

Background: Alex, 54, is an entrepreneur in Montreal who owns a small chain of artisanal coffee shops. Alex grew up in western Canada, but moved to Montreal several years ago. Alex speaks English as a first language, but also speaks French fluently. Alex lives with their partner in a condo in downtown Montreal.

Education: Alex has a Master’s Degree in English, and doesn’t have any formal training in business or entrepreneurship. Alex worked at a coffee shop for many years and used that experience to create a chain of coffee shops that specialize in free trade coffee and vegetarian food.

Social Values: Alex is passionate about food and sustainable living, and they work toward building a business that pays a living wage and has a minimal impact on the environment.

Hobbies and Interests: Alex is an avid cyclist and enjoys active vacations with their partner and friends. Alex volunteers for a local climate action organization as a member of their board of directors.

Marketing Goals: Understand customer preferences in the coffee industry, identify opportunities for expansion or diversification, and fine-tune marketing strategies.

Challenges: Limited resources for hiring specialized market research professionals, interpreting market trends accurately, and implementing findings on a small budget.

Daraja (she/her)

Background: Daraja, 22, is a university student living in Calgary. She’s pursuing a degree in business administration and aims to specialize in marketing. Her interest in market research stems from a desire to understand consumer behaviour and its impact on business decisions.

Education: Daraja has a high school diploma from another country and moved to Calgary to pursue her Bachelor’s degree. She is in her third year of school.

Social Values: Daraja is passionate about being the first person in her family to be in Canada and to be able to pursue a university degree.

Hobbies and Interests: Daraja works part-time to help with expenses, so doesn’t have a lot of time to pursue hobbies and extra-curricular activities, but she enjoys cooking and making art when time allows.

Marketing Goals: Gain foundational knowledge in market research methodologies, apply theoretical concepts to real-world scenarios, and prepare for a career in marketing research or consultancy.

Challenges: Balancing coursework with additional learning, applying theoretical knowledge practically, and gaining industry exposure while studying.

References

Singleton, M. (n.d.). User Personas. OERTX. https://oertx.highered.texas.gov/courseware/lesson/4914/overview