The blank-canvas magic is over—now the real work begins. In the second half of our deep dive, Phoebe walks Maikel through the refinement and optimization phases that turn rough concept art into AI personas customers actually love.
What we cover
- Qual → Quant → Optimize – Why early qualitative interviews reveal the “why,” how quant perception tests deliver the “how much,” and where each feeds the final polish.
-Role of the character polisher – Translating user insights into concrete tweaks—from softening a voice that reads “arrogant” to simplifying visuals so the core trait shines.
- Research, not guesswork – Mixing secondary literature with first-hand studies, and the quick litmus tests Phoebe uses to decide which external findings really apply.
- Listening as a design skill – Practical tips to fight confirmation bias, use silence, and read non-verbal cues so interviews surface hidden gold.
- Writing better research questions – How a tight, actionable question (e.g., “How do BMW-driving 40-somethings judge their in-car assistant’s trustworthiness?”) beats vague goals every time.
- Balancing art & commerce – Navigating clashes when a stakeholder’s beloved concept jars with user perception—and deciding when to push, pivot, or let data lead.
- Next stop: optimization – Getting refined candidates ready for large-scale quant tests, where correlations guide the final round of adjustments before launch.
If Episode 3 showed you where AI characters start, Episode 4 shows you how they survive the gauntlet of real-world feedback to emerge as on-brand, user-approved ambassadors.