Creating Personas: Workshopping the Data Steward Persona Methodology

Creating Personas: Workshopping the Data Steward Persona Methodology RDA Data Steward Career Tracks WG, RDA Professionalising Data Stewardship IG, RDA Engaging Researchers with Data IG Elizabeth Newbold, Liise Lehtsalu, Shannon Sheridan 16 October 2025 25th RDA Plenary Meeting Brisbane, 2025 Acknowledgement of Country We acknowledge and celebrate the First Australians on whose traditional lands we meet, and we pay our respect to their elders past and present. Welcome to new RDA members! OPENNESS COMMUNITYDRIVEN CONSENSUS NON-PROFIT AND TECHNOLOGYNEUTRAL HARMONISATION INCLUSIVITY 6 Guiding Principles are at the heart of the RDA community. JOIN THE RDA www.rd-alliance.org/register/ All RDA members are expected to adhere by the RDA Code of Conduct to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment. Agenda 1. Introduction to Persona Methodology 2. Data Steward Personas a. Categories and Attributes b. Group work: Creating Personas 3. Discussion 4. Conclusions Collaborative Notes Who is in the room? (Menti) Please access menti at https://www.menti.com/ code 5927 5079 RDA Data Steward Career Tracks WG 1. Builds on RDA PDS IG career tracks survey and a EOSC TF Data Stewardship, Curricula and Career Paths report a. RDA Professionalising Data Stewardship IG - What does a career track for data stewards look like? (2024) https://doi.org/10.15497/RDA00102 b. Data Stewardship Career Paths: Recommendations of the EOSC Task Force Data Stewardship Curricula and Career Paths (2024) https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11077722 1. Aim: The RDA Data Steward Career Tracks WG proposes to approach data steward career tracks systematically by developing a methodology for data steward persona definition and creating a sample of data steward personas as well as career pathways for the sample personas. 1. Endorsed in April 2025, expected to deliver outputs by Oct 2026 1. Co-chairs: Elizabeth Newbold (STFC, UK), Shannon Sheridan (PNNL, US)S), Liise Lehtsalu (RDA Europe, Italy) Collaborative Notes Persona Methodology Personas: semi-fictional characters that represent a group of people (e.g. users, customers or employees), constructed using real data and research to embody their typical traits, needs, goals and challenges. Personas aim to put peoples needs in the center of development processes for tools, processes and services. Data Steward Career Personas When discussing data steward personas, we discuss employee personas (not user personas). Employee personas: ● profile of a specific employee segment ● details their characteristics, attitudes, wants, and needs Employee personas support employers and community organizations in ● Tailoring training and skills development ● Understanding different employee groups’ motivations ● Developing HR practices and programs See more: https://www.cultureamp.com/blog/employee-personas Discussion What are your take-aways from the group work? Collaborative Notes Conclusions and Next Steps Career Tracks WG, Professionalising Data Stewardship IG and Engaging Researchers with Data IG all continue work that directly or indirectly contributes to, or benefits from, professionalisation of data stewardship. Would you like to host a persona creation workshop? Please be in touch with Elizabeth, Liise or Shannon from Career Tracks WG. Thank you!