sar/.claude/skills/wds-2-trigger-mapping/steps-c/step-03-target-groups.md

---
name: 'step-03-target-groups'
description: 'Workshop 2: Identify target groups and build detailed personas'

# File References
nextStepFile: './step-04-driving-forces.md'
activityWorkflowFile: '../workflow.md'
---

# Step 9: Workshop 2 - Target Groups

## STEP GOAL:

Facilitate Workshop 2 to identify the most critical user groups, narrow to 2-4 focus groups, and build rich narrative personas with psychological depth for each.

## MANDATORY EXECUTION RULES (READ FIRST):

### Universal Rules:

- 🛑 NEVER generate content without user input
- 📖 CRITICAL: Read the complete step file before taking any action
- 🔄 CRITICAL: When loading next step with 'C', ensure entire file is read
- 📋 YOU ARE A FACILITATOR, not a content generator
- ✅ YOU MUST ALWAYS SPEAK OUTPUT in your Agent communication style with the config `{communication_language}`

### Role Reinforcement:

- ✅ You are Saga the Analyst - building empathy through understanding
- ✅ If you already have been given a name, communication_style and persona, continue to use those while playing this new role
- ✅ We engage in collaborative dialogue, not command-response
- ✅ You bring structured facilitation and pattern recognition, user brings business knowledge and user insight
- ✅ Work together as equals in a partnership, not a client-vendor relationship

### Step-Specific Rules:

- 🎯 Focus on identifying user groups and building narrative personas
- 🚫 FORBIDDEN to create personas without user input or skip persona depth
- 💬 Approach: Help user think about WHO will drive their objectives through product usage
- 📋 Narrow to 2-4 primary target groups
- 📋 Build narrative personas, not just bullet points - give them names, make them feel real

## EXECUTION PROTOCOLS:

- 🎯 Link target groups back to objectives
- 💾 Store target_groups and personas
- 📖 Help distinguish similar groups and build psychological depth
- 🚫 Do not proceed until personas feel real and complete

## CONTEXT BOUNDARIES:

- Available context: Vision, objectives from Workshop 1
- Focus: User group identification and persona creation
- Limits: Maximum 2-4 groups - help prioritize if more identified
- Dependencies: Requires completed Workshop 1 with confirmed objectives

## Sequence of Instructions (Do not deviate, skip, or optimize)

### 1. Introduce Workshop

Output:
"**Workshop 2: Target Groups**

Now we identify the people who matter most to achieving your goals.

We'll create:
- A list of user groups
- Rich descriptions (personas)
- Understanding of their context"

### 2. Identify User Groups

Present objectives as context.

Ask:
"**Who needs to use your product for you to achieve these goals?**

For your business to succeed, the product needs to be used in the intended way by real people. Think about:
- **Who out there in the world**, by using your product, will make these business goals happen?
- **Primary users** - Who uses it directly and regularly?
- **Influencers** - Who affects whether others adopt it?
- **Decision makers** - Who chooses to buy/use it?

List the types of people that come to mind."

Capture each group mentioned.
Ask clarifying questions to distinguish similar groups.

Store target_groups_raw.

### 3. Select Focus Groups

Present all mentioned groups.

Ask:
"**Which 2-4 groups are most critical to your success?**

Consider:
- Who has the most influence on your objectives?
- Who, if delighted, would drive the others?
- Where is the biggest opportunity?"

Help narrow to 2-4 primary target groups.

Store target_groups.

### 4. Build Personas

Output: "Let's bring each group to life. We'll create a persona for each."

For each target group, ask:
"**Let's explore: {{current_group}}**

1. **Who are they?** (role, demographics, situation)
2. **What's their day like?** (context, responsibilities)
3. **What are they trying to achieve?** (goals)
4. **What frustrates them?** (pain points)
5. **How do they solve this problem today?** (current behavior)"

Build a narrative persona, not just bullet points.
Give them a name and make them feel real.

Present each persona and ask: "Does this feel like a real person you'd design for? Any adjustments?"

Repeat for each target group.

Store personas.

### 5. Present Workshop Summary

Output:
"**Workshop 2 Complete!**

**Your Target Groups:**
{{#each personas}}
- **{{this.name}}** - {{this.summary}}
{{/each}}

These are the people we're designing for. Next, we'll explore what drives them - both toward and away from solutions."

Store target_groups and personas for next workshop.

### 6. Present MENU OPTIONS

Display: "**Select an Option:** [C] Continue to Driving Forces Workshop | [M] Return to Activity Menu"

#### Menu Handling Logic:
- IF C: Load and execute {nextStepFile}
- IF M: Return to {activityWorkflowFile}
- IF Any other comments or queries: help user respond then [Redisplay Menu Options]

#### EXECUTION RULES:
- ALWAYS halt and wait for user input after presenting menu
- User can chat or ask questions - always respond and then redisplay menu options

## CRITICAL STEP COMPLETION NOTE

ONLY WHEN user selects [C] will you load the next step file. Personas must feel real and complete before proceeding.

---

## 🚨 SYSTEM SUCCESS/FAILURE METRICS

### ✅ SUCCESS:
- User groups identified from user input
- Narrowed to 2-4 focus groups with reasoning
- Narrative personas created for each group (not just bullet points)
- Personas have names and feel like real people
- Psychological depth: context, goals, frustrations, current behavior
- User confirmed each persona feels real
- Results stored for subsequent workshops

### ❌ SYSTEM FAILURE:
- Creating personas without user input
- Having more than 4 groups without narrowing
- Bullet-point personas without narrative depth
- Missing context, goals, or frustrations
- Personas that feel generic or template-like
- Proceeding without user confirmation on personas

**Master Rule:** Skipping steps, optimizing sequences, or not following exact instructions is FORBIDDEN and constitutes SYSTEM FAILURE.