What is human-centered design?
Human-centered design (HCD) approaches invention as a puzzle, where teammates work together to bring the pieces of social care considerations together. This approach to design is created with as many community members as possible. These designs address factors such as income, disabilities, and cultural differences. These designs are need-based and less concerned with aesthetics.
“HCD emphasizes empathy, extensive user research, and iterative testing to ensure the final product or solution genuinely benefits its end-users and addresses broader societal issues.” – Interactive Design Foundation
What Does Human-Centered Design Look Like?
The Harvard Business School touches on a design created by design firm IDEO for Oral-B to explain the benefits. To help parents get children to brush their teeth more, IDEO innovated the traditional long and slim toothbrush design. The end result was a thicker, shorter brush with more tactile elements, grips, and grooves. Since children lack motor skills, adjustments were made to the initial design to make a simple, everyday task easier.
The principles of HCD apply to many different designs. Modifications in traditional design can help make places, gadgets, tools, and more usable and accessible for everyone.
Specific HCD Training
If you’re interested in learning more about HCD and applying the practice to your work, visit the resources below to find out more:
User Experience (UX)/ User-Centered Design Certificate – University of Rochester
TogetherNow’s Community Transformation Lab – TogetherNow
eCornell Human-Centered Design Essentials – Cornell University
