# Who we design for

> The three types of users we keep in mind when making design decisions.

Source: https://contributors.home-assistant.io/design/users/

Home Assistant has a very wide audience. To make decisions throughout the product, we describe it with three user types. They are a lean way to split up that audience. They are not personas: they are not based on demographics, and there is no invented character with a name and a backstory.

## Outgrowers

People who outgrow the smart home solutions of big tech companies. For them, it just needs to work, with an easy setup through an app.

## Tinkerers

People who know their way around home networking and development, and know how to code.

## Questioners

People who want more advanced home automation, but need support to make it work.

## Using the user types

When you propose a design, check it against all three. Ask who it helps, and whether it gets in the way of anyone else. Mention it in your proposal when a design is meant for one type in particular.

## Know the people behind the types

The user types are a starting point. For real numbers about who uses Home Assistant, how, and why, look at the [2024 community survey](https://github.com/OpenHomeFoundation/user-research/tree/main/community-survey24). Its anonymized data is open for anyone to use. See [Research](https://contributors.home-assistant.io/design/how-we-design/#research) for more.