Lessons Learned from Persona Usage in Requirements Engineering Practice

Personas, as a tool for characterising end-users, are widely utilised in requirements engineering (RE), primarily to enhance the understanding of end-users and their needs. However, the efficacy of persona usage in RE practice remains inadequately explored. To bridge this gap, we conducted an interview-based study with 22 international RE experts. These experts shared their experiences in utilising personas for RE-related tasks. Through thematic analysis of the collected insights, we propose recommendations for the effective creation and integration of personas in RE tasks. Our suggestions for efficient persona usage in RE emphasise the necessity of direct human interaction throughout persona development, while also considering project constraints. We recommend creating personas that reflect the needs and preferences of persona consumers regarding the information included and the presentation style. Additionally, fostering organisational awareness of the benefits of personas in understanding targeted end-users is crucial. Lastly, we highlight the importance of the interpersonal skills required by requirements engineers to support the successful incorporation of personas in RE.