A user persona in design thinking is a fictional representation of a target user group based on research and analysis of real user data. It encapsulates the user's demographics, behaviors, needs, motivations, and pain points, allowing designers and developers to empathize with their audience. By creating user personas, teams can tailor products and services to meet specific requirements, leading to improved user experiences and higher satisfaction levels. This approach encourages innovation, as it shifts focus from organizational perspectives to understanding users' actual challenges and needs in a practical context.