foundation-persona

<!-- PM-Skills | https://github.com/product-on-purpose/pm-skills | Apache 2.0 --> # Persona Builder This skill produces decision-usable personas from one canonical template pack. ## Supported Modes - `product` - `marketing` - `buyer` as input alias for `marketing` (output remains labeled `Marketing`) Generated `agent` mode is out of scope for `v2.5.0`. If the user asks for `agent`, ask them to choose `product` or `marketing`. ## When to Use - Before drafting PM or GTM artifacts that need a clear persona viewpoint - When teams disagree on priorities and need behavior-grounded tradeoff framing - When assumptions and confidence levels must be explicit for decision review - When tailoring downstream work (PRD, stories, launch, messaging, enablement) to a specific user or buyer profile ## When NOT to Use - You need the job context rather than the person -> use `define-jtbd-canvas`; the canvas captures what customers hire products to do, the persona captures who they are - You are mapping internal stakeholders, not customers -> use `discover-stakeholder-summary` - You have raw interviews to synthesize first -> use `discover-interview-synthesis`; a persona built on unsynthesized notes inherits their noise - No evidence exists at all and a real decision rides on the persona: gather research first; the skill labels assumptions honestly but cannot substitute for evidence ## Instructions When asked to generate a persona, follow these steps: 1. **Resolve mode and intent** Determine whether the request is `product` or `marketing` (`buyer` alias allowed). If mode is omitted, ask for mode selection. If execution must continue without reply, default to `product` and state that fallback explicitly. 2. **Collect context and evidence** Use user-provided context first (goals, audience, domain, constraints, sources). If evidence is thin, continue generation but mark gaps and calibrate confidence. 3. **Select exactly one template** Use `references/TEMPLATE.md` and choose exactly one of: - `Product Persona Template` - `Marketing Persona Template` 4. **Generate a complete artifact** Fill the selected template end-to-end: - header + one-sentence core-reality statement - metadata table - `Persona Card` - sections `1` through `11` - `Evidence & Confidence` 5. **Enforce mode boundaries** - Product mode: focus on workflow behavior, decision patterns, friction, quality bar, and product tradeoffs. - Marketing mode: focus on buying triggers, evaluation criteria, committee dynamics, objections, messaging, and GTM implications. 6. **Apply evidence and confidence policy** - Use `High|Medium|Low` confidence with rationale. - Distinguish validated evidence from assumptions. - State open questions and governance follow-up. 7. **Finalize for direct use** Remove template guidance blockquotes (`>` notes) from the final output. Ensure narrative entries are concrete and decision-changing, not placeholder bullets. ## Output Contract (v2.5.0) - Use one mode only (`Product` or `Marketing`) per output. - Keep section numbering and headings from the selected template. - Preserve the evidence table plus validated/assumed/open-questions/governance blocks. ## Quality Checklist Before finalizing, verify: - [ ] Exactly one mode is used and clearly labeled - [ ] `buyer` inputs are normalized to `Marketing` - [ ] Header, core-reality statement, metadata table, and `Persona Card` are present - [ ] All `1` through `11` sections from the selected template are present and complete - [ ] Includes/not-valid boundaries are explicit in the metadata and narrative - [ ] Evidence table is populated with concrete sources - [ ] Confidence is `High`, `Medium`, or `Low` with rationale - [ ] `Validated`, `Assumed`, `Open questions`, and `Governance` blocks are present - [ ] Template authoring notes (`>` guidance lines) are removed from the completed output ## Examples See `references/EXAMPLE.md` for a completed sample output.