Identifying Target Audience
Identifying the target audience involves defining the specific group of users or customers for whom a product or service is intended. This activity focuses on understanding who will benefit the most from the product, their needs, preferences, and behaviours.
Goal
The primary goal is to ensure that the product development efforts are aligned with the needs and expectations of the most relevant users. By identifying the target audience, teams can tailor their product design, features, and marketing strategies to meet the specific requirements of this group.
Context
We often assume that our products are a great fit for everybody or we don't want to narrow down our target market. But there are people who will definitely be in greater need of the solution we are offering. Understanding the target audience helps teams prioritise features, make informed design decisions, and develop more effective user experiences. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, identifying the target audience allows for a more focused and personalised product strategy.
Inputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| OKRs | Previous objectives and key results set by the Stream Team and the Product Team. |
| Customer Insights | Insights from user research, customer feedback, and support tickets. |
| Product Performance Data | Data on the performance of the product, including usage, engagement, and customer satisfaction. |
Outputs
| Artifact | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Jobs to be Done (JTBD) | A list of job stories that represent the core tasks, emotional needs, and social roles that users seek to fulfill. |
|
Other Output Formats
| Artifact | Description | ZeroBlockers Opinion |
|---|---|---|
| User Personas | Develop fictional but representative characters outlining the target user's demographics, motivations, goals, and behaviours. | By focusing heavily on demographics, user personas can lead to assumptions and biases. It's important to validate these personas with real user data. |
Anti-patterns
- Overly broad target audience: Defining a target audience that is too broad can lead to a diluted value proposition and features that don't cater to specific needs.
- Relying solely on assumptions: Basing the target audience solely on assumptions without user research can lead to misaligned product development.
- Neglecting to communicate and iterate: Failing to share and refine the target audience definition can lead to misalignment and inefficiencies.
- Over-reliance on Demographics: Relying too heavily on demographic information without understanding the behaviours, needs, and motivations of the target audience.