In SAFe, what are personas?

In SAFe, personas are fictional characters that represent the different types of users who will interact with a product. They are created based on a combination of user research, data analysis, and idealized characteristics that encapsulate the goals, motivations, behaviors, and challenges of real users. By using personas, teams can better understand the needs of their target audience and design solutions that effectively address those needs.

Creating personas helps ensure that product development is user-centered, as teams can refer back to these fictional characters throughout the development process. This practice encourages empathy within the team and aligns the development efforts with user expectations. Since personas capture a composite of user characteristics rather than being based on specific individuals, they allow for a broader understanding of user requirements and enhance the effectiveness of the product being developed.

Other options describe concepts that do not align with the definition of personas within the SAFe framework. For instance, real customer feedback sources pertain to actual insights gathered from users rather than the theoretical representations found in personas. High-level business executives and development team roles refer to specific positions and responsibilities within an organization, rather than capturing user needs or behaviors.