How do roles differ from personas?

The distinction between roles and personas in the context of IT Service Management and broader user experience design is important to understand.

Roles specifically refer to the functions and responsibilities assigned to different users within a system or organization. They dictate what actions users can perform and which features they have access to based on their role. For example, an administrator might have access to more features than a regular user, ensuring that sensitive functions are performed only by authorized individuals. This form of control is crucial for maintaining security and efficiency in IT systems.

In contrast, personas are fictional representations of user types that businesses create to understand their audience better. These personas are based on user research and are designed to encapsulate the needs, experiences, behaviors, and goals of actual users. While they can be helpful for gathering user feedback and guiding design decisions, they do not control access or define specific functionalities within a system.

This contextual understanding highlights how roles serve a functional purpose in managing system access and capabilities, an essential part of ITSM practices focused on maintaining order and security.