Targeting a Predefined User Group
In large companies, user experience designers are often given a specific target user group as the starting point for the innovation work. Mature adults with a relatively large disposable income is an example of such a predefined group. You will often want to display these users with a representative photo, like in Figure 3-2, before continuing your work. A photo of your typical target users can help you a lot in the proceeding steps.
Depending on the quality of the market research, the research material may also contain a number of insights for the predefined group of users that you are targeting. This research may even specify end-user needs.
However, in almost all most cases, you will want to find, interview, and get to know your target users better. This is because innovation is much easier when you have faced the target users than it is when you solely base your innovation on market research data and statistics. Even when needs are well defined by current research, you are well advised not to skip the interviewing process. After all, data and statistics can take you only so far.
