Introduction to human-centered design
The HCD approach
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“What people say, and what people do, and what people say they do, are entirely different things.”—Dr. Margaret Mead, Anthropologist
This famous quote by Dr. Margaret Mead is a central truth to the social sciences and processes that build on them. Human-centered design is grounded in empathy and understanding. It begins with observation and research. We hear from people in their own words, to gain an understanding of what they want, expect, and need from a system, product, or experience.
Discovery phase
In the initial phase of HCD, you will become an expert in the context for your design project. You’ll build a problem frame. You’ll observe situations and talk to people. You’ll challenge your assumptions by going to the source and being open to what you see and hear.
Design phase
After gathering insights and defining opportunities, you’ll start to build prototypes and work through design ideas. You won’t try to perfect these too soon. Instead, you will prioritize iteration, test with customers, and make incremental refinements. Build, test, and repeat.
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Delivery phase
After prototyping and testing, you’ll be ready to finalize your design, bring it to life, and share it out into the world. You’ll work with stakeholders to plan the logistics around the launch. You’ll also set goals and expectations for the launch.
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The Delivery Guides are currently in development.Measurement phase
You’ll learn how your design solution is performing. You’ll get quantitative and qualitative feedback to learn if you’re meeting your goals and expectations. You’ll use this data to improve your design.
