nWave-ai Persona and JTBD Analysis
Use during Phase 1 (GATHER) when the user lacks clear personas or the "Who" section needs rigorous definition. Provides structured alternative to ad-hoc persona descriptions.
Persona Template
For each user type, build a complete persona:
## Persona: {Name}
**Who**: {Role description -- one sentence capturing relationship to product}
**Demographics**:
- {Characteristic 1: e.g., technical proficiency level}
- {Characteristic 2: e.g., frequency of interaction}
- {Characteristic 3: e.g., environment/context of use}
- {Characteristic 4: e.g., primary motivation}
**Jobs-to-be-Done**: (see Job Step Table below)
**Pain Points**:
- {Pain 1} -- maps to Job Step: {step name}
- {Pain 2} -- maps to Job Step: {step name}
**Success Metrics**:
- {Quantified outcome 1: e.g., "Task completed in < 2 minutes"}
- {Quantified outcome 2: e.g., "Zero manual configuration steps"}
Job Step Table
Each persona has job steps describing what they accomplish. Steps follow ODI format.
| Job Step | Goal | Desired Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| {Verb} | {What the user wants to achieve} | Minimize {metric} of {undesirable state} |
Rules for Job Steps
- Job Steps are always verbs: Discover, Validate, Install, Configure, Monitor, Recover
- Goals describe what the user wants, not what the system does
- Desired Outcomes use ODI format: "Minimize [time/effort/risk/likelihood] of [undesirable state]"
- Each step maps to a workflow point where value is created or destroyed
Example Job Step Table
| Job Step | Goal | Desired Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Discover | Find the right tool for the task | Minimize time to evaluate fit |
| Install | Get the tool running locally | Minimize steps to working state |
| Configure | Adapt to local environment | Minimize likelihood of misconfiguration |
| Verify | Confirm correct installation | Minimize uncertainty about readiness |
| Start | Begin productive work | Minimize time from install to first output |
Pain Point Mapping
Every pain point maps to a specific job step. Pain points without a corresponding step indicate either a missing step or irrelevant pain point.
Pain Point: "I don't know if the tool supports my OS"
-> Job Step: Discover
-> Desired Outcome: Minimize uncertainty about compatibility
Pain Point: "Installation fails silently with no error message"
-> Job Step: Install
-> Desired Outcome: Minimize time to diagnose installation failures
Prioritize: pain points on high-frequency job steps deserve attention first.
Success Metric Quantification
Every success metric needs a number or threshold. Qualitative metrics ("easy to use") are not actionable.
| Qualitative | Quantified |
|---|---|
| "Easy to install" | "Install completed in < 2 minutes with zero manual steps" |
| "Fast startup" | "First productive output within 30 seconds of launch" |
| "Reliable" | "Zero silent failures; all errors produce actionable messages" |
| "Intuitive" | "New user completes core task without reading documentation" |
Multi-Persona Segmentation
Different users have fundamentally different jobs even when using the same product. Segment by relationship to the product.
Common axes: Frequency (first-time vs returning vs power user) | Role (end user vs admin vs developer) | Context (individual vs team vs CI/CD) | Motivation (exploration vs production vs evaluation)
Example: Same Product, Different Jobs
| Persona | Primary Job | Key Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Explorer | Evaluate the tool quickly | Needs fast time-to-value, minimal commitment |
| Returner | Resume work after absence | Needs state preservation, quick re-orientation |
| Deployer | Install for a team | Needs configuration management, multi-user setup |
| Automator | Integrate into CI/CD pipeline | Needs scriptability, headless operation, exit codes |
Each persona gets their own Job Step table because workflows differ. Do not merge personas -- JTBD analysis value comes from surfacing differences.
Integration with Story Crafting
After completing persona analysis, feed results into LeanUX user story template:
- Persona Who -> populated from persona template
- Persona Pain Points -> inform story Problem section
- Job Step Desired Outcomes -> inform AC (ODI outcomes translate to testable criteria)
- Success Metrics -> inform NFR requirements in handoff package
Cross-reference: use bdd-requirements skill for Example Mapping once personas established. Use jtbd-workflow-selection skill to determine workflow for resulting stories.
Source: nWave-ai/nWave → nWave/skills/nw-persona-jtbd-analysis/SKILL.md
Also appears in: nWave-ai/nWave/plugins/nw/skills/nw-persona-jtbd-analysis/SKILL.md