Personas That Don’t Lie — Case Files #2
Personas That Don’t Lie — Case Files #2. We’ll turn instincts into a system you can run every week.
Templates reduce decisions so teams ship on time with the same quality.
Steps
- Design constraints before concepts — Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail.
- State the promise in plain words — Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later.
- Document decisions in one page — People use what they can read in two minutes.
- Define the audience and their stakes — Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices.
- List three proof points — Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust.
Why this matters: Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: People use what they can read in two minutes. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Toolkit
- Messaging blocks — Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections.
- Voice ladder — From formal to playful with examples for each channel.
- Palette tokens — CSS variables / design tokens for color and spacing across apps.
How to use it: Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.
How to use it: From formal to playful with examples for each channel. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.
How to use it: CSS variables / design tokens for color and spacing across apps. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.
Example
A fintech tightened palette tokens and shipping velocity rose because designers stopped re‑deciding shades.
Common Pitfalls & Fixes
- Guides nobody reads — One page first. Depth later. Adoption beats length.
- Feature soup — Group features by outcomes buyers feel; features support, outcomes sell.
- Collecting adjectives — Translate adjectives into constraints (type size, palette count, tone limits).
- Logo first — Write positioning before pixels; a logo is a receipt for choices.
Related Articles
- Competitor Teardowns the Right Way
- Brand Positioning That Sticks — Field Notes #2
- Positioning Traps (and Fixes) — Deep Dive #2
- Onboarding Emails that Feel On‑Brand — Deep Dive #2
← Previous: Finding Your Brand Voice — Case Files #2 Next: Naming: Memorable Without Being Cute — Playbook #2 →