Section 03 · Cisco Learning Network

User Personas

Two primary audiences. One platform. Very different mental models.

AK
Primary User · Certification Learner
Alex Kim
Network Engineer, 3 yrs exp · Pursuing CCNP
"I know what cert I need — I just can't figure out where to actually start on this platform."
Goals
Cert path clarity Study resources Community help Career growth
Tech Comfort
High Self-directed Mobile + desktop
Pain Points
  • Can't find cert path in 2 min
  • 300+ links, no clear hierarchy
  • Community buried below fold
  • No progress tracking visible
Needs
  • Surface cert paths on load
  • Connect with study groups
  • See what's new fast
  • Track learning progress
500K+
Users Like Alex
73%
Bounce Rate
<2min
Before Dropout
Behavioral Tendencies
Scans before reads
90%
Uses search first
75%
Returns within 7d
60%
Uses community
45%
MR
Secondary User · Learning Partner
Maria Reyes
Training Manager, Cisco Gold Partner · 8 yrs exp
"We're supposed to use this portal to buy training seats — half my team gave up and calls support instead."
Goals
Seat purchasing Partner resources Team training ROI reporting
Context
B2B focused Time-pressured Desktop primary
Pain Points
  • Seat purchase flow broken
  • No partner-specific nav
  • Support tickets weekly
  • No training progress view
Needs
  • Dedicated partner portal
  • Bulk seat management
  • Team learning dashboard
  • Clear renewal pathways
4M+
Certified Learners
Weekly
Support Tickets
Some
Stopped Using
Behavioral Tendencies
Task-oriented
95%
Calls support
68%
Multi-tab workflow
80%
Returns monthly
55%
Cisco Learning Network · UX Research · Mahesh Guntivenkata · 2024