---
auto_generated: true
created: 2026-05-18
manual_updated_at: 2026-05-18
modified: 2026-05-18
name: User_Manual
status: active
tags:
- domain/ai
- tech/azure-ad
- tech/gemini
- tech/typescript
- type/sop
type: sop
---

# Semblance Synthetic Society — User Manual

## What This Tool Does

Semblance is an AI-powered platform designed to simulate consumer behavior through synthetic personas. It allows researchers, marketers, and product teams to create realistic AI-driven user profiles and run autonomous or moderated focus group sessions. The platform extracts actionable insights, themes, and analytics from these simulated conversations in real-time.

### Key Capabilities
- **Synthetic Persona Management:** Create, edit, and organize AI-generated or manually built consumer profiles.
- **Autonomous Focus Groups:** Run self-driving conversations where AI personas interact with each other based on research objectives.
- **Moderated Sessions:** Act as a human moderator while AI assists with probes and follow-up questions.
- **Real-Time Insights:** View live transcripts, theme extraction, and sentiment analysis during sessions.

## Who Uses It

- **Market Researchers:** To test concepts, messages, or products without recruiting real participants.
- **Product Managers:** To validate feature ideas and user flows with synthetic user personas.
- **UX Researchers:** To run rapid, low-cost qualitative research rounds.
- **Marketing Teams:** To refine messaging and identify key themes from consumer perspectives.

## How to Access

1. Navigate to the application URL provided by your organization.
2. Log in using one of the supported methods:
   - **Local Login:** Enter your registered username and password.
   - **Microsoft SSO:** Click the "Sign in with Microsoft" button to authenticate via your corporate Azure AD account.
3. Once authenticated, you will be directed to the Dashboard or the last viewed page.

## Main Workflows

### Workflow 1: Creating Synthetic Personas

1. **Navigate to Synthetic Users:**
   - Click "Synthetic Users" in the left-hand navigation bar.

2. **Create a New Persona:**
   - Click the "Create Persona" button.
   - **Option A: AI Generation:**
     - Select "Generate with AI."
     - Provide a brief description of the target audience (e.g., "Millennial parents interested in organic skincare").
     - Choose an LLM model (Default: Google Gemini 3 Pro; Options: OpenAI GPT-4.1, GPT-5.2).
     - Click "Generate." The AI will populate demographic, psychographic, and behavioral attributes.
   - **Option B: Manual Creation:**
     - Select "Manual Creation."
     - Fill in attributes such as name, age, occupation, interests, and behavioral traits manually.

3. **Refine and Save:**
   - Adjust any AI-generated details if necessary.
   - Save the persona.

4. **Organize Personas:**
   - Use drag-and-drop to move personas into folders for better organization.

5. **Export Profiles:**
   - Select one or more personas.
   - Click "Export" and choose PDF or summary format to download the persona profiles.

### Workflow 2: Running a Focus Group Session

1. **Start a Session:**
   - Navigate to "Focus Groups" and click "Create Session."
   - Select the personas to participate.

2. **Configure Session Settings:**
   - **Mode:** Choose between **Manual Moderation** (you guide the chat) or **Autonomous AI Mode** (AI drives the conversation).
   - **Discussion Guide:** Optionally, ask the AI to generate a structured discussion guide based on your research objectives.

3. **Run the Session:**
   - **Autonomous Mode:** Click "Start Session." Watch as AI personas converse in real-time via WebSocket. The AI moderator may intervene with probes or follow-up questions.
   - **Manual Mode:** Type questions or prompts to guide the personas. Use the AI Assistant panel for suggested follow-ups.

4. **Analyze Results:**
   - During the session, observe real-time theme extraction and highlighting.
   - After the session ends, review the session analytics, including summary generation, key themes, and sentiment scores.

### Workflow 3: Managing Your Account

1. **Check Usage:**
   - Go to "My Usage" to view your token consumption and API limits.
2. **Admin Tasks (Admins Only):**
   - Access the "Admin" panel to manage users, system settings, and monitor system health.

## FAQ

**Q: How accurate are the synthetic personas?**
A: Personas are generated using multi-model LLMs (Gemini, GPT-4.1, GPT-5.2). You can refine them manually after generation to better fit your specific research needs.

**Q: Can I interrupt an autonomous session?**
A: Yes. Even in Autonomous Mode, if you have moderator privileges, you can type prompts to steer the conversation.

**Q: What data is stored?**
A: Persona data, session transcripts, and analytics are stored in the MongoDB database. Ensure you comply with your organization's data privacy policies when creating personas.

**Q: How do I export session insights?**
A: Session summaries and theme extractions are available post-session. You can often export these as reports or view them in the analytics dashboard.

## Related
- [[02 Areas/Market Research Processes]]
- [[03 Resources/AI Persona Design Guide]]