Hot Topics webinar - free to all
Personas have been a cornerstone of content strategy and user-centred design for years. But are they still doing the job we need them to do?
In many education institutions, personas exist… somewhere. In a slide deck. In a PDF. Perhaps created during a workshop a few years ago. But how often are they actively shaping content decisions today?
So, what’s really going on here? Are personas outdated, or have we simply struggled to embed them effectively into our ways of working?
This session explores the evolving role of personas in content strategy and content design and asks whether they still hold value in a world of complex user journeys, fragmented data, and increasing pressure for personalisation.
Together, we’ll unpack:
Why personas often fail to gain traction across teams
The evolution of personas and the varied formats they can take
The gap between persona creation and real-world application
Whether behavioural data and real-time insight are replacing traditional models
How personas can still play a powerful role when grounded in genuine audience research
We’ll also explore alternative approaches, from user stories and journey mapping to AI-powered insight tools, and consider what a more dynamic, usable model for audience understanding might look like in practice.
Expect a lively, honest discussion. One that challenges assumptions, surfaces frustrations, and offers practical ways to reconnect your content with the audiences it’s meant to serve.