Personas can originate from a combination of surveys, user interviews, observations, or any other user research method mentioned in this book. Personas are different from segmentation because data are collected with the focus on the problem area that the given project embraces.
Are personas a research method?
Personas are fictional characters, which you create based upon your research to represent the different user types that might use your service, product, site, or brand in a similar way. Creating personas will help you understand your users' needs, experiences, behaviors and goals.
Are personas qualitative or quantitative?
For most teams, a qualitative approach to personas is appropriate, as it provides a solid data-based understanding of who your users are and what they want, is cost-effective, and relatively quick.