Five research-based personas were developed to represent the primary users of the SBA’s certification programs:

• Veteran-Owned Small Business (VOSB) / Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)

• 8(a) Business Development

• HUBZone

• Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB)

• All Small Mentor-Protégé Program

These personas distilled key insights from user research, capturing authentic goals, motivations, behaviors, challenges, and pain points for each audience segment.

As a foundational deliverable, they enabled the design team to create a more intuitive, empathetic, and user-centered experience within the MySBA Certifications portal and supporting platform, ensuring alignment with diverse user needs and improving overall usability.

User Personas: MySBA Certifications Portal