Over
the last ten years,
we’ve gone from personalizing the exterior of our phones (think leopard
cases)
to personalizing the contents inside of our phones (think ringtones and
apps). Like the clothes we wear, the car we drive and the the places we
work out, mobile phones say a lot about us.
My
iPhone 3G is chockfull of applications that range from the utterly
stupid to the life-altering useful. But if you look really closely,
you'll find that most of my apps provide real utility. Things like
Evernote, Urbanspoon and FlightTrack. For me, productivity trumps
novelty.
One of the things we help clients do is
understand the difference between users like myself and users who lean
towards Tetris and iFart. To do so, we often create mobile profiles to
help illustrate the subtle nuances of mobile users. Currently, I'm
working on five high-level personas that I find really interesting.
Which one are you? Leave your answer along with your age, sex and
country (eg. Mobilista, M ,30, USA) in the comments or
email me.
Mobilistas are
highly active mobile users. They have the latest devices, are connected to the
fastest networks (3G), frequently use the mobile web, streaming video and are
the early adopters of any new mobile technology. Mobile allows them to be “always
on” and to be active contributors in social media. They’re constantly emailing,
Twittering, Facebooking and generally connecting. Mobilistas have applications
and widgets that enable them to upload content and photos to blogs and
photo-sharing sites like Flickr. Mobile is a lifestyle for Mobilistas, fueling
creativity and ideas.
Mobile Mantra – “If it
can be done on mobile, it will be done on mobile.”
Active Ingredient – Connectivity
Searchers are
savvy mobile users who understand that mobile represents the same resource as a
computer. Their highly capable devices have the mobile internet and allow them
to find whatever they want on the spot. Searchers aren’t using their phones for
creating as much as Mobilistas, they use them for collecting and finding. They
use location-based services for directions and finding restaurants and stores
closest to them. Mobile allows them to satisfy their curiosities right away,
whether they want a restaurant review, a movie time or a random fact. They may
use a computer if it is nearby, but often go to mobile for its immediacy and
proximity. The more that mobile has to offer, the more searchers will use it.
Mobile Mantra – “Oh
yeah, I can find it on my phone.”
Active Ingredient – Accessibility
Workers are productivity-driven mobile users. They take
advantage of mobile’s ability to keep them connected and multitask no matter
where they are. They have some of the best devices on the market, but unlike
Mobilistas and Searchers, they use their phone primarily for work-related
affairs rather than for social or personal use. Workers are on their phones
emailing, scheduling and using applications that have practical uses like
mobile banking and note taking. Utility is the primary driver of mobile usage
for workers, as they have little time or interest to devote to the fun or novel
aspects that mobile offers.\
Mobile Mantra – “Forgetting
my phone simply isn’t an option.”
Active Ingredient – Productivity
Texters use their mobile phone to communicate constantly. They have
short-form conversations that don’t require a phone call or email, so they default
to text. Texters are unlikely to be without their phone. Always in constant
contact with their peers, texters are likely members of social networks like Facebook
and MySpace. They aren’t using mobile to make new friends or expand their
social network, rather they are attracted to any applications or widgets that
help them interact with the ones they have.
Mobile Mantra – “Why
talk when I can text.”
Active Ingredient – Community
Phonophobes use mobile as it was originally intended - to make calls. They
understand that there are more features like text messaging, but aren't heavy
users. They are likely on very "lite" phones with limited
functionality and few frills.
Mobile Mantra – “I’m not
afraid of technology. We just aren’t best friends.”
Active Ingredient – Simplicity
