Why many learning projects miss the target audience – and how a good persona concept changes that.
In many organizations, learning projects start with the best of intentions: content is curated, tools are selected, formats are planned – but in the end, the crucial question often remains unanswered:
Who are we actually doing this for – specifically?
“For sales,” “for executives,” “for everyone with customer contact” – that sounds sensible at first. In practice, however, these formulations are too vague to design truly effective learning opportunities.
The solution: A sound persona concept.
What is a persona concept – and why does L&D need it?
A persona concept describes representative users of a learning offering – not as statistical averages, but as vibrant, fictional individuals with clear characteristics, needs, challenges, and goals.
In contrast to pure target group definitions (“female, 35–50 years old, executive”), a persona creates clarity, focus, and empathy. It helps to concentrate on the essentials:
- Which content is truly relevant for this person?
- How much prior knowledge do they have?
- What is their attitude toward further education – motivated or skeptical?
- Which formats fit their daily routine and work rhythm?
- Which language, tone, and approach are effective?
A practical example (fictional – but realistic)
Instead of developing for “sales,” we prefer to think of:
“Newbie Nico” – 32, career changer in field sales.
He is ambitious, tech-savvy, and wants to impress customers – but still has little experience with the products. He often feels left alone but doesn’t want to go back to the classroom. What he needs: condensed knowledge, practical conversation examples, and quick wins.
A learning offering for Nico looks different than for…
“Seasoned Ricarda” – 48, experienced product specialist.
She knows the portfolio inside out but notices that the market is changing. Her challenge is to question old routines and integrate new tools – without feeling like she has to “start from scratch.”
A learning project for “sales” would not do justice to either of them.
Why a persona concept rarely stops at just one persona
A common misconception: We define one persona – and then it fits everyone.
In reality, it quickly becomes clear: A learning project reaches different people with different prerequisites.
This doesn’t mean that every learning offering must be completely individualized – but:
Without differentiation, we lose impact.
A good persona concept helps to decide:
- Where is a shared learning format sufficient?
- Where are different learning paths, role clusters, or additional modules needed?
- Which content can be modularized – and which requires targeted adaptation?
Those who consciously ask these questions save themselves later disappointment – and increase acceptance from the start.
Typical mistakes – and how to avoid them
1. The persona is too general.
“Between 30 and 50, open to new formats, has little time.” Sounds plausible – but is too arbitrary.
→ Tip: Give your persona a story. What have they learned, what is important to them, what do they respect?
2. The persona is a cliché.
If you think while reading, “Someone like that doesn’t even exist,” then it lacks depth of reality.
→ Tip: Include interviews, feedback, and observations from the target group – or have the team refine the personas.
3. The persona becomes a pigeonhole.
Just because someone resembles “Nico” doesn’t mean they are Nico.
→ Tip: See personas as guidance, not as absolute truth. Good concepts allow for flexibility – but set a clear focus.
Conclusion: Personas are not a decorative element, but a strategic tool
A persona concept is not “nice to have” – it is essential if learning offerings are to truly make a difference.
It helps teams make better decisions faster. It provides structure to instructional design. And it creates a mindset that puts people at the center – not technology or methodological trends.
For further work: Our persona template
So that you don’t have to start from scratch, we have prepared a ready-to-use persona template as a PowerPoint – for workshops, kickoffs, or for refining existing learning projects.
