The job of personas is to make abstract findings from research feel more concrete for teams working on a product or design. Distinct from market segments or user groups, personas provide a model of a single user that highlights specific details that the design team should keep in mind. They should encourage team members to consider end users and their real needs when making decisions about the design, rather than relying on their personal expectations. Personas should therefore include enough detail to be memorable, without clutter that won't impact the ultimate design.
A name and photo may be included if they help the team remember the persona. However, take care that this information is actually useful.
Related
Citations
Harley, Aurora. “Personas Make Users Memorable for Product Team Members.” Nielsen Norman Group (blog). Accessed October 10, 2020. Link
