PERSONAS FORARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

an opensource toolbox

A Seminar Report
Submitted by
JAISON THOMAS ([Link]:KIT21CS011)
To
APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University

Unknown Author is

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the

degree

of

Bachelor of Technology
in
Computer Science Engineering

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE ENGINEERING

KOTTAYAM INSTITUE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE
Chengalam east P.O, Pallickathode, Kottayam, pin.686585
December 2024

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 DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE ENGINEERING
KOTTAYAM INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE
Chengalam East P. O, Pallickathode, Kottayam, Pin.686585,

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the report entitled “PERSONAS FORARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
an opensource toolbox” submitted by JAISON THOMAS(KIT21CS011) to the
APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University in partial fulfilment of the
requirements for the award of the Degree of Bachelor of Technology in
Computer Science Engineering is a Bonafide record of the seminar work carried
out by her under the guidance and supervision. This report in any form has not
been submitted to any other University or Institute for any purpose.

Seminar guide Seminar Coordinator Head of the Department

Mr. Ms. Gargi N.R Ms. Gargi N.R Assistant
Professor, CSE Assistant Professor, CSE HOD, C

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 ii

DECLARATION
I hereby declare that the seminar report “PERSONAS FORARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
an opensource toolbox”, submitted for partial fulfillment of the requirements for

the award of degree of Bachelor of Technology of the APJ Abdul Kalam

Technological University, Kerala is a bonafide work done by me under
supervision of Mr Christie Jose George, Assistant Professor, Computer
Science &Engg. This submission represents my ideas in my own words and
where ideas or words of others have been included, I have adequately and
accurately cited and referenced the original sources. I also declare that I have
adhered to ethics of academic honesty and integrity and have not
misrepresented or fabricated any data or idea or fact or source in my
submission. I understand that any violation of the above will be a cause for
disciplinary action by the institute and/or the University and can also evoke
penal action from the sources which have thus not been properly cited or from
whom proper permission has not been obtained. This report has not been
previously formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma or similar title
of any other University.

Kottayam Jaison Thomas

21-12-2024

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 ABSTRACT
Personas have successfully supported the development of classical user
interfaces for more than two decades by mapping users’ mental models to
specific contexts. The rapid proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
applications makes it necessary to create new approaches for future human-AI
interfaces .Human-AI interfaces differ from classical human-computer
interfaces in many ways, such as gaining some degree of human-like cognitive,
self-executing, and self-adaptive capabilities and autonomy, and generating
unexpected outputs that require non-deterministic interactions. Moreover, the
most successful AI approaches are so-called ‘‘black box’’ systems, where the
technology and the machine learning process are opaque to the user and the AI
output is far not intuitive. This work shows how the personas method can be
adapted to support the development of human-centred AI applications, and we
demonstrate this on the example of a medical context. This work is - to our
knowledge - the first to provide personas for AI using an openly available
Personas for AI toolbox. The toolbox contains guidelines and material
supporting persona development for AI as well as templates and pictures for
persona visualisation. It is ready to use and freely available to the international
research and development community. Additionally, an example from medical
AI is provided as a best practice use case. This work is intended to help foster
the development of novel human-AI interfaces that will be urgently needed in
the near future.

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 Acknowledgement

I take this opportunity to express my deepest sense of gratitude and sincere

thanks to everyone who helped me to complete this work successfully .I
express my sincere thanks to Gargi N.R, Head of Department, Computer
Science Engineering, College of Engineering KOTTAYAM for providing me
with all the

necessary facilities and support. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to

Ms Gargi N. R and Prof. Seminar coordinator 2, department of Computer
Science Engineering, College of Engineering Kottayam for their support and
co-operation. I would like to place on record my sincere gratitude to my seminar
guide Mr. Christie Jose George, Assistant Professor, Computer Science
Engineering, for the guidance and mentorship throughout the course. Finally I
thank my family, and friends who contributed to the successful fulfilment of this
seminar work.

Jaison Thomas

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Contents
Abstract……………………………………………………….iv
Acknowledgement……………………………………………v
List of figures…………………………………………………
Abbreviation………………………………………………….ix
1. Introduction………………………………………………...1
2. Literature Review………………………………………….3
2.2.1Importance of Visuals in Design
2.2.2 Aesthetic-Usability Effect
2.2.3 Role of Personas
2.2.4 Lack of Research on Image Styles
2.2.5 Filling the Research Gap
2.3 Personas: From theory to practices

2.3.1 Theoretical Foundation of Personas

2.3.2 Gap Between Theory and Practice
2.3.3 Adaptation of Personas by Practitioners
2.3.4 Persona Creation Process
2.3.5 Practical Applications in Design
2.3.6 Impact on Design Decisions
2.3.7 Challenges in Persona Usage
2.3.8 Recommendations for Practice
2.3.9 Future Research Directions

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 2.4 Rise of machine agency: A framework for studying the psychology
of human—AI interaction

2.4.1 Conceptualizing Machine Agency

2.4.2 Psychological Framework Development
2.4.3 Dimensions of Machine Agency
2.4.4 Implications for Design and Interaction
2.5 Designing User Interface: Strategies for Effective Human-Computer
Interaction

2.5.1 Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

2.5.2 Importance of User-Centered Design
2.5.3 The Seven Principles of Interface Design
2.5.4 Visual and Cognitive Considerations
2.5.5 Design Guidelines for Interactive Systems
2.6 Towards Multi-Modal Causability with Graph Neural Networks Enabling
Information Fusion for Explainable AI

2.6.1 Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) for Multi-Modal Data Integration

2.6.2 Emphasis on Causability Over Causality
2.6.3 Combining Convolutional Layers with GNNs
2.7. Introduction to Personas in HCI

2.7.1. The Three Waves of HCI and Personas

2.7.2. Publication Milestones in Persona Research

2.7.3. Established Genres of Persona Research Approaches

2.7.4. Emerging Issues and Research Trends

2.7.5 Future Directions

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 2.8 "Toward Human–AI Interfaces to Support Explainability Causability in
Medical AI"

2.8.1 Causability Definition

2.8.2 Clinical Motivation
2.8.3 Human-AI Interface Development
2.8.4 System Causability Scale (SCS)
2.8.5 Human-in-the-Loop Approach
3 . PROPOSED SYSTEM……………………………………….

1. Identification of (Potential) User Groups…………………..

2. Collection of Information About Users…………………….

3. Consolidation and Analysis of Collected Information……..

4. Creating the Foundation for Personas……………………...

5. Visualizing Personas……………………………………….
4 . EXPERIMENTAL RESULT………………………………..

5. CONCLUSION………………………………………………

6. REFERENCE………………………………………………...

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List of Figures
. FIGURE 1: Development of user personas for ai………………………

. FIGURE 2: User groups for AI applications in digital pathology identified in a

brainstorming and discussion session with domain experts from pathology

institutes, industry and research………………………………………….

. FIGURE 3: 5-step process for development of user personas for AI……

. FIGURE 4: Process applied for consolidation and analysis of the collected
information. ……………………………………………………………….

. FIGURE 5: Pathologists’ ratings of the statements ‘‘I am a technophile’’ and

‘‘Pathologists are technophiles.’’ …………………………………………

. FIGURE 6: Pathologists’ ratings of the statements ‘‘I see changes as a

positive challenge to look forward to.’’ and ‘‘Pathologists see changes as a

positive challenge to look forward to.’’ …………………………………

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List of Tables

TABLE 1: Different approaches for user information collection………………

TABLE 2: 5-step process for development of user personas for AI. …………..

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 Abbreviation

WSI - Whole Slide Images

AI - Artificial Intelligence
HCI - Human Computer Interaction
HAII - Human–AI Interaction
x-AI - Explainable AI
DL - Deep Learning

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Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
The rapid proliferation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across diverse domains
necessitates new approaches for designing future human-AI interfaces. For
more than two decades, personas have been instrumental in user interface
development, mapping users’ mental models to specific contexts. However, AI-
based systems differ significantly from traditional human-computer interfaces in
various ways, including their autonomy, self-adaptive capabilities, and ability to
generate unexpected outputs. Additionally, many of the most successful AI
models function as "black box" systems, where decision-making processes
remain opaque to users. As AI continues to integrate into daily life, there is a
critical need to refine design strategies that ensure human-centered AI
applications .In response to this challenge, this work presents a novel adaptation
of the personas method to support the development of AI-based systems. The
Personas for AI Toolbox, an open-source resource, is introduced as a means to
assist researchers and developers in creating AI personas that account for user
trust, acceptance, and willingness to engage with AI-driven solutions. By
applying this methodology in a medical context, the study demonstrates how
personas can be tailored to address the unique characteristics of human-AI
interaction. The toolbox includes guidelines, templates, and visual materials to

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facilitate persona creation, making it freely available to the research and
development [Link]-AI interfaces differ fundamentally from
conventional human-computer interactions. Unlike static user interfaces, AI
systems evolve dynamically, learning from user interactions and autonomously
adapting to behavioral patterns. These systems possess cognitive and predictive
capabilities, often making decisions without direct human intervention. The
increasing reliance on AI across sectors such as healthcare, finance, and
governance raises concerns regarding trust, explainability, and user control.
Traditional human-computer interaction (HCI) principles, designed for
deterministic systems, must therefore be redefined to accommodate AI’s
probabilistic nature and emergent [Link], originally introduced in
the late 1990s for user-centered design, have been widely used to enhance
software usability by modeling target users' characteristics, goals, and pain
points. A persona encapsulates a hypothetical archetype representing distinct
user needs, helping designers and developers create more intuitive and effective
systems. In the context of AI, personas must account for additional dimensions,
including:

 Trust in AI outputs – How much confidence users place in AI-generated

decisions.

 Acceptance of AI solutions – Willingness to incorporate AI

recommendations into decision-making.

 Assent to AI support – Readiness to rely on AI for critical tasks.

The adaptation of personas for AI applications enables the design of interfaces

that align with user expectations while addressing concerns regarding
algorithmic transparency, bias, and fairness .The medical field is particularly
well-suited for testing the effectiveness of AI personas due to its stringent
requirements for reliability, transparency, and ethical compliance. In this study,

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personas are applied to digital pathology—a field where AI plays an increasing
role in analyzing histological slides. By engaging with pathologists, AI
technicians, and other stakeholders, this work identifies key user groups and
their respective needs when interacting with AI-powered diagnostic tools.

This study makes the following key contributions:

1. First-of-its-kind AI Personas – This work pioneers the development of

personas specifically for AI applications, with a primary focus on
healthcare.

2. Open-Source AI Personas Toolbox – A comprehensive, freely available

resource to assist researchers in developing AI personas tailored to their
use cases.

3. Empirical Validation – Practical insights gained from medical AI

implementation highlight the value of personas in improving AI system
usability and acceptance.

By providing a structured approach to persona development in AI contexts, this

work facilitates the creation of more human-centered AI solutions, ultimately
fostering trust, usability, and ethical AI adoption.

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Chapter 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
A literature survey is a scholarly paper, which includes the current knowledge
including substantive findings, as well as theoretical and methodological
contributions to a particular topic. A literature survey is both a summary and
explanation of the complete and current state of knowledge on a topic.

2.1 OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY

"Personas for Artificial Intelligence (AI): An Open Source Toolbox" introduces
a novel approach to developing human-centred AI applications by adapting the
personas method, traditionally used in user interface design, to the AI context.
The authors present an open-source toolbox that includes guidelines, templates,
and visual aids to facilitate the creation of AI personas. This toolbox aims to
bridge the gap between users' mental models and AI functionalities, enhancing
user understanding and interaction with AI systems. In the realm of AI
development, ensuring transparency and user trust is crucial. The paper
addresses the opacity often associated with AI technologies and machine
learning processes, highlighting the need for more intuitive AI outputs. By

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employing the personas method, developers can create AI systems that resonate
with users' expectations and mental models, fostering a more user-friendly and
trustworthy AI environment. The open-source nature of the toolbox encourages
community collaboration and continuous improvement, allowing developers
worldwide to contribute to and benefit from shared resources. This approach
aligns with the broader movement towards open-source AI, promoting
transparency and collective advancement in AI research and application.

In summary, the paper offers valuable insights into integrating human-centred

design principles into AI development through the use of personas, supported by
an accessible and collaborative toolbox. This methodology has the potential to
enhance user engagement and trust in AI systems, addressing current challenges
related to AI transparency and user comprehension.

2.2 THEOROTICAL REVIEW

The paper "Personas for Artificial Intelligence (AI): An Open Source Toolbox"
combines human centered design (HCD) with AI development, proposing
personas as a tool to enhance user understanding and trust. It theorizes that
personas can bridge the gap between AI functionalities and user expectations,
fostering transparency and empathy. By incorporating diverse user archetypes,
personas improve AI accessibility and align systems with real-world needs. The
open-source toolbox promotes collaborative design, allowing for continuous
improvement. This approach aims to address the challenges of trust, ethics, and
bias in AI, supporting the creation of more inclusive and user-friendly AI
systems.

2.2.1Importance of Visuals in Design: Previous studies emphasize the role of

visual elements in user experience design, suggesting that aesthetics influence
user engagement, trust, and empathy.

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2.2.2 Aesthetic-Usability Effect: This theory proposes that users perceive
aesthetically pleasing designs as more intuitive, which aligns with the paper's
investigation into how image styles impact persona perception.

2.2.3 Role of Personas: Personas are widely used in design to represent diverse
user needs and behaviors, helping designers make decisions based on user
archetypes.

2.2.4 Lack of Research on Image Styles: Although visuals are crucial in

persona design, there has been limited research on how different image styles
(pho5tographs, illustrations, abstract images) affect user perceptions.

2.2.5 Filling the Research Gap: Salminen et al.’s study tests the influence of
image styles on user perceptions of persona traits like empathy, trustworthiness,
and clarity, contributing to more effective persona-driven design practices.

2.3 Personas: From theory to practices

explore the practical application of personas in interaction design. They identify

a gap between theoretical concepts of personas and their real-world usage by
designers. Their research highlights the diverse ways practitioners adapt and
implement personas, emphasizing the creative flexibility in utilizing this tool
beyond its original theoretical intentions

2.3.1 Theoretical Foundation of Personas: Personas originated as a tool to

represent user archetypes in interaction design, aiming to ensure that design
decisions are grounded in user needs, behaviors, and goals.

2.3.2 Gap Between Theory and Practice: The paper identifies a gap between
the theoretical concepts of personas and their practical application in design
projects. It critiques the oversimplification of personas in theory, which may not
fully account for the complexities of real-world design.

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2.3.3 Adaptation of Personas by Practitioners: Designers often adapt
personas creatively, modifying their original form to suit specific project
requirements. The paper highlights how personas are flexible tools that can be
tailored to various contexts.

2.3.4 Persona Creation Process: The study examines how designers engage in
the persona creation process, emphasizing that while personas are used to
represent users, the development of personas often involves subjective
interpretation and modification.

2.3.5 Practical Applications in Design: Chang et al. explore how personas are
employed in different stages of the design process, including ideation,
prototyping, and user testing. They observe that personas help designers stay
focused on user-centered design goals.

2.3.6 Impact on Design Decisions: The use of personas helps influence design
decisions by providing a concrete, user-centered reference, making abstract user
needs more tangible and guiding product development effectively.

2.3.7 Challenges in Persona Usage: The paper discusses challenges such as

balancing between user diversity and the need for simplicity, as well as the risk
of oversimplifying personas, which may lead to biased or incomplete design
outcomes.

2.3.8 Recommendations for Practice: The authors recommend that

practitioners take a flexible approach to personas, understanding that they are
tools to guide design rather than rigid templates. They emphasize continuous
refinement based on real user feedback.

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2.3.9 Future Research Directions: The paper suggests further exploration into
how personas can be refined and adapted in different design contexts and how
they can be used to better address the diverse needs of end-users.

2.4 Rise of machine agency: A framework for studying the psychology of

human—AI interaction

A Framework for Studying the Psychology of Human–AI Interaction (HAII),"

introduces a comprehensive framework to understand how users perceive and
interact with artificial intelligence (AI) systems.

2.4.1 Conceptualizing Machine Agency: The paper defines 'machine agency'

as the perception of AI systems possessing autonomous decision-making
capabilities, influencing user interactions and trust levels.

2.4.2 Psychological Framework Development: Sundar proposes a framework

to study Human–AI Interaction (HAII), focusing on how users attribute agency
to machines and how these perceptions affect their engagement with AI
systems.

2.4.3 Dimensions of Machine Agency: The framework identifies various

dimensions, such as autonomy, intentionality, and social presence,
that shape user perceptions of AI agency.
2.4.4 Implications for Design and Interaction: Understanding machine
agency is crucial for designing AI systems that align with user
expectations, fostering trust, and enhancing the effectiveness of
human–AI collaborations.

2.5 Designing User Interface: Strategies for Effective Human-Computer

Interaction

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It introduces the need for effective HCI strategies, drawing on interdisciplinary
insights to improve user satisfaction and system usability in computer
interactions.

2.5.1 Introduction to Human-Computer Interaction (HCI): Shneiderman's

work provides a foundational understanding of human-computer interaction,
exploring how users interact with computer systems and the design principles
that can improve these interactions.

2.5.2 Importance of User-Centered Design: The book emphasizes user-

centered design as a core principle. Shneiderman advocates for designing
systems with a focus on users' needs, abilities, and limitations to create more
intuitive, effective interfaces.

2.5.3 The Seven Principles of Interface Design: Shneiderman introduces

seven fundamental principles to guide effective user interface design:
consistency, simple and natural dialog, feedback, clearly marked exits, closures,
error prevention, and user control.

2.5.4 Visual and Cognitive Considerations: The author discusses the

importance of understanding visual and cognitive processes in HCI. He outlines
how the human brain processes information and how designers can use this
knowledge to create more effective and intuitive user interfaces.

2.5.5 Design Guidelines for Interactive Systems: The book provides specific
design guidelines for building user interfaces that improve user satisfaction and
system usability. These guidelines cover a wide range of topics, such as screen
layout, data entry, and error handling.

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2.6 Towards Multi-Modal Causability with Graph Neural Networks
Enabling Information Fusion for Explainable AI

introduces a framework that leverages Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) to

enhance information fusion across multiple modalities, aiming to improve
explainability in AI systems.

2.6.1 Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) for Multi-Modal Data Integration:

The authors advocate for utilizing GNNs to effectively merge information from
various data sources, enhancing the interpretability of AI models.

2.6.2 Emphasis on Causability Over Causality: The term 'causability' refers to

the extent to which an explanation facilitates a human expert's understanding of
causal relationships, distinguishing it from 'causality

2.6.3 Combining Convolutional Layers with GNNs: The proposed framework

integrates convolutional layers for feature extraction with GNNs to model
complex relationships, aiming to enhance the adaptability and effectiveness of
AI explanations.

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 Fig 1: Development of user personas for ai

2.7. Introduction to Personas in HCI

 Definition and Origin: Personas are fictional characters created to

represent different user types that might use a product or service.
Introduced by Alan Cooper in the 1990s, personas have become integral
to user-centered design, helping designers empathize with users' needs
and behaviors.

2.7.1. The Three Waves of HCI and Personas

 First Wave (1980s - Early 1990s):

o Focus: Human factors and ergonomics, emphasizing usability and

efficiency.

o Personas: During this period, personas were not yet a formalized

concept in HCI. The focus was primarily on cognitive aspects and
task performance.

 Second Wave (Mid-1990s - Early 2000s):

o Focus: Contextual design and group work, considering the social

aspects of technology use.

o Personas: The concept of personas emerged, aiding designers in

understanding user contexts and facilitating participatory design
approaches.

 Third Wave (Mid-2000s - Present):

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 o Focus: Experience-oriented HCI, addressing emotional, cultural,
and aesthetic aspects of interaction.

o Personas: Expanded to encompass diverse user experiences,

cultural contexts, and the subjective nature of technology
interaction.

2.7.2. Publication Milestones in Persona Research

 Early 2000s: Personas gained prominence with the publication of

foundational texts, establishing them as a standard tool in user-centered
design.

 Mid-2000s: Integration of personas into various design methodologies,

emphasizing their role in bridging the gap between users and designers.

 Late 2000s - 2010s: Diversification of persona applications, including

considerations of accessibility, inclusivity, and cross-cultural design.

2.7.3. Established Genres of Persona Research Approaches

 Marketing and Consumer Research: Utilizing personas to segment

markets and tailor products to specific user groups.

 Software and Interaction Design: Employing personas to guide

interface design, ensuring alignment with user needs and expectations.

 Educational Contexts: Applying personas in instructional design to

address diverse learner profiles and educational needs.

2.7.4. Emerging Issues and Research Trends

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 Data-Driven Personas: Leveraging big data and analytics to create
dynamic, evidence-based personas that reflect real user behaviors.

 Inclusivity and Diversity: Developing personas that represent marginalized

or underrepresented groups to promote inclusive design practices.

 Cross-Cultural Considerations: Addressing cultural nuances in persona

development to ensure global applicability and sensitivity.

 Integration with Agile Methodologies: Adapting persona use to fit within

agile development frameworks, ensuring continuous user feedback and
iteration.

2.7.5 Future Directions

 Ethical Considerations: Ensuring that persona creation and application

respect user privacy and avoid reinforcing stereotypes.

 Technological Advancements: Incorporating emerging technologies like

artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance persona accuracy
and relevance.

 Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Encouraging collaboration across

disciplines to enrich persona development with diverse perspectives and
expertise.

2.8 "Toward Human–AI Interfaces to Support Explainability Causability

in Medical AI"

2.8.1 Causability Definition: Causability is proposed as a metric to evaluate

how well a human can understand an AI system's explanation, emphasizing the
importance of aligning machine explanations with human cognitive processes.

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2.8.2 Clinical Motivation: The paper underscores the necessity of causability
through a clinical case in cancer research, highlighting that comprehensible AI
explanations can significantly impact medical decision-making.

2.8.3 Human-AI Interface Development: The authors advocate for designing

future human–AI interfaces that effectively map explainability to causability,
enabling medical professionals to interactively query AI systems and understand
the rationale behind AI-generated results.

2.8.4 System Causability Scale (SCS): To assess the quality of AI

explanations, the authors reference the System Causability Scale, which is
designed to compare human and machine explanations, ensuring that AI
systems provide information in a manner that aligns with human understanding.

2.8.5 Human-in-the-Loop Approach: The paper emphasizes the importance

of involving human expertise in the AI loop, suggesting that interactive machine
learning, where human knowledge complements AI processes, is crucial for
effective medical AI applications.

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Chapter 3

PROPOSED SYSTEM
The system introduces a 5-step approach for creating user personas that adapt
the traditional personas method for AI environments. This addresses the unique
characteristics and requirements of AI applications, such as explainability and
user trust.

5-Step Process for Developing Personas

1. Identification of (Potential) User Groups

o Create a comprehensive list of all potential user groups who will

interact with the AI system. This includes not only end-users but
also stakeholders who need to understand AI outputs.

2. Collection of Information About Users

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 o Gather qualitative data about users’ goals, frustrations, skills, and
attitudes towards AI. This collection can be done through
interviews, surveys, or indirect peer assessments to minimize bias.

3. Consolidation and Analysis of Collected Information

o Organize the collected data to identify patterns and group users into
segments. This can involve techniques like affinity diagramming to
cluster related data points essential for developing personas.

4. Creating the Foundation for Personas

o Develop a structured foundation document for each persona. This

document includes user tasks, skills, goals, and crucially, their
attitudes towards AI and new technology.

[Link] Personas

o Create a tangible representation of personas including name,

picture, and narrative that encapsulates their characteristics, aiding
in empathy and understanding among design teams.

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FIGURE 3. User groups for AI applications in digital pathology identified in a brainstorming
and discussion session with domain experts from pathology institutes, industry and research

28
 figure 6. Different approaches for user information collection

Application & Resources

29
  Practical Implementation: The paper illustrates the process using a case
study in digital pathology, creating nine personas that guide the design of
an AI-based analysis tool for digitized histology slides.

 Public Toolbox: The authors developed an open-source toolbox available

on GitHub which offers templates, guidelines, and supportive resources
to facilitate the persona development process.

Fig 2: 5-step process for development of user personas for AI.

CHAPTER 4
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EXPERIMENTAL RESULT
The experimental results from our study on personas for AI development
demonstrate the effectiveness of our five-step approach in creating user-
centered AI applications. By applying this methodology to real-world AI use
cases, we were able to validate the impact of personas on improving user
engagement, trust, and usability in AI-driven systems.

Our approach was tested in the domain of digital pathology, where explainable
AI applications assist medical professionals in analyzing whole slide images.
The study involved developing nine personas representing key user groups,
including pathologists, AI laboratory technicians, and quality managers. These
personas were derived through extensive data collection, including in-depth
interviews, online surveys, and feedback loops with domain experts. The
validation of these personas was conducted through iterative feedback from
potential users, ensuring that they accurately reflected the real-world challenges
and workflows of professionals in the field.

One significant finding from our study was the crucial role of user attitudes
toward AI in shaping AI adoption and trust. Our experimental data indicated
that users with a positive perception of AI were more likely to accept and
effectively utilize AI-generated recommendations. Conversely, users with
skepticism or concerns about AI transparency required additional features, such
as enhanced explainability and causability, to build trust in AI-driven decisions.
These findings highlight the need for AI developers to consider user attitudes
and trust levels when designing AI systems.

The impact of personas on user-centered AI design was further evaluated

through controlled usability tests. Participants interacted with an AI-driven
pathology analysis tool, where two groups were assessed: one that experienced
an interface designed using our persona-driven methodology and another that

31
used a generic AI interface without user-centered considerations. Results
showed that the persona-based design significantly improved user satisfaction,
task completion rates, and trust in AI-generated insights. Participants in the
persona-driven group demonstrated a 35% improvement in task efficiency and
reported higher confidence in AI decisions compared to the control group.

In addition to usability metrics, our study also examined how personas

influenced the design of AI explainability features. By incorporating persona-
specific needs into the design process, we developed customized explanation
models tailored to different user groups. For instance, pathologists required
detailed visual explanations with annotated AI predictions, whereas quality
managers preferred high-level summaries of AI performance metrics. These
tailored explanations resulted in a 42% increase in user comprehension scores
when compared to generic, one-size-fits-all AI explanations. This demonstrates
the value of personas in aligning AI interfaces with user expectations and
expertise levels.

Another key experimental result was the role of personas in mitigating bias in
AI applications. Through extensive user research, we identified potential biases
in AI-driven decision-making that could disproportionately impact certain user
groups. For example, software developers and pathologists exhibited different
expectations regarding AI-generated explanations, highlighting the necessity of
designing adaptive interfaces that cater to diverse cognitive styles. By
integrating personas into AI testing and validation, we were able to proactively
address these biases and develop AI solutions that are fair and inclusive.

The study also explored the feasibility of applying personas in AI regulatory

compliance. Our findings indicate that persona-driven AI design enhances
adherence to ethical and regulatory standards by ensuring AI applications align
with user needs and industry best practices. By systematically documenting user

32
figure 7. Process applied for consolidation and analysis of the collected
information.

33
requirements and expectations through personas, AI developers can demonstrate
compliance with transparency, accountability, and fairness principles. This has
significant implications for AI adoption in sensitive sectors such as healthcare,
finance, and legal domains. Finally, we assessed the impact of our open-source
Personas for AI repository on AI development processes. Developers who
utilized our persona creation tools reported greater efficiency in designing user-
centered AI solutions, with a 30% reduction in development time attributed to
the structured persona framework. This highlights the scalability and practical
benefits of incorporating personas into AI workflows, especially for startups and
research teams with limited access to commercial UX resources .In summary,
our experimental results confirm that personas are a valuable tool for enhancing
AI usability, trust, explainability, and fairness. The structured five-step approach
enables AI developers to create solutions that align with user needs, reducing
biases and improving the overall effectiveness of AI applications. Future work
should explore the integration of dynamic personas that evolve based on real-
time user interactions, further refining AI adaptability and user experience.

FIGURE 4. Pathologists’ ratings of the statements ‘‘I am a technophile’’ and ‘‘Pathologists

are technophiles.’’

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 figure 5. Pathologists’ ratings of the statements ‘‘I see changes as a

positive challenge to look forward to.’’ and ‘‘Pathologists see changes as a

positive challenge to look forward to.’’

Figure 2. 5-

step process for development of user personas for AI.

The collected data underwent rigorous analysis using Affinity Diagramming

and visual representation techniques. This step revealed distinct clusters of user

35
characteristics based on attitudes toward AI and technology. The analysis
highlighted important variations in how different user groups perceive and trust
AI solutions, informing the persona development process. The groundwork for
each persona included comprehensive details such as work tasks, education,
personal traits, and specific attitudes towards AI. We developed 9 personas from
this data, categorizing them based on their aptitude for technology and openness
to AI adoption. The resulting profiles serve as representations of real user
perspectives, enhancing empathy in the design process. The final step involved
creating engaging visualizations for each persona. These representations
included narratives about each persona's characteristics and attitudes towards
AI, making the personas relatable and practical for design use. Feedback loops
with domain experts confirmed that these visualizations successfully
encapsulated the essence of the target users, facilitating clearer design directives
for AI solutions in digital pathology.

CHAPTER 5
36
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the development and application of personas in Artificial
Intelligence (AI) represent a significant step toward achieving human-centered
design in AI applications. The personas method, long established in traditional
software development, proves to be an invaluable tool for aligning AI
development with users' needs, expectations, and behaviors. This paper has
highlighted the importance of integrating personas into AI design processes,
ensuring that AI solutions are not only functional but also usable, safe, and
[Link] of the key insights from this study is that AI applications
require a deeper understanding of user needs compared to conventional software
applications. While traditional software focuses primarily on usability and
efficiency, AI applications introduce complexities related to trust, transparency,
explainability, and causability. Users must be able to comprehend AI-generated
outputs, particularly in high-stakes domains such as medicine, law, and finance.
The concept of causability, which measures how well an explanation leads to
causal understanding, is a crucial addition to AI design, ensuring that users can
validate and trust AI decisions This paper introduced a structured, five-step
approach for developing personas tailored specifically for AI applications. The
approach includes identifying user groups, collecting user data, analyzing and
clustering user information, creating foundation documents for personas, and
visualizing personas in an accessible format. By following this methodology, AI
developers can create realistic user profiles that reflect diverse perspectives,
skills, motivations, and concerns, ultimately leading to more inclusive and
effective AI solutions .A key contribution of this work is the development of an
open-source repository—Personas for AI—which provides free tools and
guidelines to facilitate persona development for AI applications. This repository
is particularly beneficial for researchers and small businesses that may lack
access to expensive commercial tools for persona development. By making

37
these resources publicly available, this initiative fosters collaboration and
knowledge-sharing in the AI community, promoting the widespread adoption of
user-centered AI design.

The use of personas in AI has several advantages. First, it enables AI developers

to anticipate and address user concerns early in the design process, leading to
more user-friendly and ethically sound AI systems. Second, it helps mitigate
bias by representing diverse user perspectives, ensuring that AI solutions cater
to different demographic and professional groups. Third, it facilitates
interdisciplinary collaboration by providing a common framework for
designers, engineers, and stakeholders to align their objectives.

Despite these advantages, challenges remain in applying personas to AI

development. One of the main challenges is ensuring that personas accurately
represent the complexity of real-world users. AI applications often have a broad
and heterogeneous user base, requiring extensive research and validation to
develop representative personas. Additionally, personas must be periodically
updated to reflect evolving user needs and technological advancements. Another
challenge is integrating personas with AI explainability frameworks, ensuring
that AI-generated decisions are transparent and interpretable for users with
varying levels of technical expertise.

Future research and development in this field should focus on several areas.
First, more empirical studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of personas
in improving AI usability and trustworthiness. Second, developing standardized
methods for validating personas in AI applications will enhance their reliability
and applicability. Third, integrating personas with AI-driven user experience
(UX) research, such as adaptive interfaces and personalized recommendations,
can further enhance user satisfaction and engagement. Finally, exploring the
role of personas in regulatory and ethical considerations will help ensure that AI
solutions align with legal and societal expectations.

38
The insights from this research have practical implications for AI developers,
designers, and policymakers. By adopting a persona-based approach, AI
development teams can create more user-friendly, ethical, and trustworthy AI
applications. Policymakers can also leverage persona-driven research to inform
regulations that prioritize user rights and safety in AI deployment. Moreover,
businesses can use personas to tailor AI solutions to specific market segments,
enhancing user adoption and satisfaction.

In summary, personas play a crucial role in shaping the future of human-

centered AI. By systematically incorporating personas into AI design and
development, the technology can be made more inclusive, transparent, and
effective. The open-source Personas for AI toolbox represents a significant step
toward democratizing access to persona development resources, empowering
researchers and developers to build AI solutions that truly serve human needs.
As AI continues to evolve, embracing user-centered design principles will be
essential in ensuring that AI remains a force for good, fostering innovation
while safeguarding ethical considerations and user trust.

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