User attribute grid 2.0
Updated on Sunday, August 2, 2026
For a group of users, this method captures all useful data points and allows comparison, synthesis, and identification of unique, similar, primary, and secondary user models.
Overview
The user attribute grid allows teams to collect all data points about a set of users, so you can compare, contrast, and synthesize a set of user models or personas. The completed user attribute grid provides a visual map of how your personas are similar and different. The attribute grid helps teams capture insights and observations, make sense of the data, and identify primary and secondary user groups.
| Objective | Understand |
|---|---|
| Model | Users & personas |
| Difficulty | Experience needed |
| Participants | Up to 6 per user |
| Time | 45m |
| Materials | A user attribute grid |
Expected outcomes
- A list of attributes applicable to users in a system
- For each user, their score for each attribute
Prerequisites
- A list of all users in a system
- Optional: A list of common system and user attributes
When to Use / When to Substitute
Best used when
- Kicking off any new project or initiative. Makes the persona creation process.
- Anytime The attribute grid is a living document, so it can be created at any time during your product development process and updated every time you learn more about your users.
Not recommended when
- The team already has established personas. User attribute grid helps you define personas, so if you already have them, there's no use defining them again.
Substitute activities
- User profile canvas — Use when you don't have a good list of attributes and want to start by focusing on individual users tasks and context.
- Empathy map — Use when you need to explore each user's psychological context to understand how they approach the system.
Variations
- No variations
What to Do Next
Share outputs with participants and confirm findings
Within 24 hours, share the grid with participants. Ask for their inout and feedback on any findings that seemed interesting or counter-intuitive. This helps the group fully align around the final analysis.
Use the grid as input into persona one-sheets
Convert the data into a one sheet summary for each persona that you can share with the team and use to support product and design decisions.
Learn more
Facilitation tips and instructions
Austin Govella provides detailed instructions and facilitation tips for the User Attribute Grid in chapter 12 of his book, Collaborative Product Design. You can view chapter 12 online via O’Reilly’s Safari Books.
