Human-Centred Design

 

INTRODUCTION

When identifying and resolving a design problem, is it necessary to consider human-centred design (HCD) as a crucial factor? To ensure that the needs of those using the space are met, is it essential to design the space, product, or service with their requirements in mind? HCD prioritises real people in the development process to create a space, product, or service tailored to the users’ needs (Landry, 2020). Is it important to meet users’ basic requirements and take it a step further to create a design that surpasses the requirements to create a user-friendly space, product, or service?

This essay argues that HCD should be an integral part of identifying and solving design problems to ensure that the end product meets the needs of the intended and potential users. Firstly, we will look at what HCD is and how to implement it. Additionally, we will examine the benefits of using HCD in design problem-solving by provide examples of its successful and unsuccessful implementation.

Fig. 1. Clarifying Human-centered Design Thinking Once and for All. (2022)

 

HUMAN-CENTRED DESIGN

1.1  What is human-centred design?

Laundry (2022) states that HCD is to keep in mind the users' wants, pain points, and preferences during every phase of the design process. At the same time, David Kelley (2008) describes HDC as human-centeredness in an approach to design, and that involves designing behaviours and personality into products.  As a result, you will be able to create products and services that are more user-friendly and easier to access. This will likely result in higher profits, as the customers enjoy using the products or services more. (Landry, 2022)

 

1.2  Implementing human-centred design

Fig. 2. Landry. (2020)

There are four phases of HCD that the Harvard Business School set out: clarify, ideate, develop, and implement (Landry, 2022). Phase one, clarify, is collecting data and clarifying the problem by observing the customer rather than assuming the problem. This requires empathy – understanding someone’s experience and emotions. As designers, the problems we need to solve are rarely our own. Therefore, we need to empathise with who the people are and what is important to them by observing them, engaging with them, and listening (Plattner, 2010). The information gathered in phase one will inspire phase 2, ideate. Now is the time to brainstorm and overcome cognitive fixedness (thinking things can only be done the straight and narrow way) to generate creative ideas to potentially find a solution to the problem (Landry, 2022). The ideation phase should also offer powerful insight (Plattner, 2010). Phase 3, develop, evaluates the ideas, is critical, and combines ideas. Three vital characteristics to consider of HCD are desirability, feasibility, and viability (Landry, 2022). This is also the time to create a prototype. Creating a prototype can help you to ideate and problem-solve, communicate the solution, start conversations, fail quickly and cheaply, test possibilities, and manage the solution-building process (Plattner, 2010). Plattner (2010) continues by stating the importance of refining the prototypes/solution and learning more about the users. The last phase, implement, is for communicating the solution, marketing it successfully, encouraging adoption, and maintaining growth. (Landry, 2022)

 

Industrial designer Aga Szostek (2013) said a designer’s job is to envision an experience for the users and to design everything around them to lead them into that intended experience. Design is more commonly referred to as an innovative problem-solving technique (Linke, 2017). She continues by telling us about one of her experiences with HCD – she, along with a group of designers, we asked by a hospital to redesign a mental crisis centre. They all went to the hospital to gather information and research (step 1). The centre has a comfort-room for patients wanting some alone time to relax, but the room was not filled with relaxing tools: there were thriller movies to watch and violent video games to play. The problem was that the comfort-room did not provide comfort and help people relax. The solution they came up with was breathing exercises (step 2). They built prototypes to teste on the patients. After testing the prototypes and making changes as seen needed, they ended with a light mimicking the perfect breathing pattern for relaxing (step 3). The product was then implemented and used (step 4).

 

1.3  Examples of HCD:

A great example of HCD in action at a smaller scale is a children’s toothbrush designed in the mid-nineties that is still used today. The global design firm IDEO designed a kid’s toothbrush by going directly to the source; they watched children brush their teeth. They found that the children had difficulty using the kid’s toothbrush that was already on the market: a shorter version of an adult toothbrush. The children did not have the same dexterity and motor skills to use such a skinny toothbrush comfortably. IDEO designed a big, fat, squishy grip toothbrush for children by going into the field. If they did not follow the four phases of HCD, they might have never designed such a successful product that is truly designed for the intended user. (Landry, 2022)

Fig. 3. DesignBoom. (n.d.)

An example of HCD at a more significant architectural scale is The Lanter in Ohio, USA. The Lantern is assisted living for senior citizens suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s; where they designed the centre to look like an ordinary neighbourhood. The design of the neighbourhoods belongs to the 30s and 40s to remind the residents of their times, instilling nostalgic emotions. (Purkayastha, 2021). Having these patients in a designed, familiar environment gives them peace of mind. The facility was designed for the user with the end goal of providing a safe space. This is an excellent example of how HCD can impact the user’s behaviour and physical and mental health.

Fig. 4. Purkayastha (2021)

 

1.4  Non-HCD at a small scale:

Simple examples of not designing with the user in mind are glass ketchup bottles and TV remotes with too many buttons. These examples’ designs are flawed. It takes too long to get ketchup out of a glass bottle, the chances of making a mess are very likely, and getting the last bit of sauce out is nearly impossible. TV remotes are complicated to use because of too many options and buttons can be difficult for someone to learn. (KS, 2021). These are not major problems, but they are problems we face daily. By designing a better product that has the user in mind we can eliminate flawed design.

Both these examples’ design has been improved and today we have plastic ketchup bottles we squeeze that are easy to use, less likely to cause a mess, and more effective for getting all the souse out. TV remoted have been redesigned to have fewer buttons and features without removing the necessary buttons and features. Redesigning these products has made them more practical and user-friendly.

Fig. 5. KS (2021)

Fig. 6. KS (2021)

 

1.5  Non-HCD at a large architectural scale:

Now let us look at more significant designs at a larger, architectural scale that as a greater impact on our lives. Back in the 50s and 60s, buildings were purely designed to be functional, and no regard was given to how the users would be affected by a lack of natural light and poor ventilation. Cost and financial returns were put before the needs of the users. (The Paper Architect, 2013).  They did not design with the users in mind, unlike how they designed at The Lantern. Not designing with the users in mind had a negative impact on the user’s behaviour and physical and mental health.

We stopped designing buildings like those from the 50s and 60s when sustainable architecture became more popular. Green buildings focus on technologies and sophisticated systems that save energy and water and create better environments for the buildings’ users. The fundamental shift has affected how we design spaces spatially, functionally, and materially. (The Paper Architect, 2013).

Fig. 7. Marshall. (2015)

1.6  Connecting HCD to sustainable design

Human-centred thinking does not only require thinking of the current users, but also the potential users as mentioned above. This indirectly means we need to consider sustainable design when identifying and resolving a design problem for HCD. In order to design a space for people to use and be themselves, we need to think of the longevity of the space so many people can use the space in the future as well as now. For a space or product to have longevity we need to think sustainbaly.

As Sherwin (2018) explained that although HCD is a dominant methology lately, it does not cut it for sustainability. There are several reasons why he makes such a bold statement: HCD has exclusively represented only the buyers and users alone, but we need to be putting in front and centre od innovation. We fail to acknowledge other stakeholders in the process (Sherwin, 2018). This could be the exploited workers building a new community centre or the people, and sometimes entire communities, affected by the waste created from manufacturing pollution or packaging waste. Sherwin (2018) then continues by saying that HCD focuses on purchasing and usability stages of a product but often ignores other critical stages like where the materials are sourced and where they go at their end-of-life (Sherwin, 2018). These are all big things to consider when designing sustainably. He then ends with how HCD methods struggle to communicate or capture less immediate sustainable needs. Eco- and social issues often rank lower for customers’ priorities when conducting client research. The top priorities include convenience, usability, and cost. This could mean that the HCD model must evolve from ‘human-centred’ to ‘humanity-centred.’ We need to stretch beyond the customers’ impact alone and factor in the broader impacts of design on society and even the planet. (Sherwin, 2018).

 

1.7  Why human-centred design matters

Designers have the ability to influence social connections between groups of people and individuals by designing human-centred spaces. An example of this is Andries Spies of Twothink Architecture states that we should emphasise the spaces between buildings to create safe spaces for the community to gather, like the alleyways of District Six in Cape Town, which become connective fibres that connect people and spaces. These spaces are where ‘life’ happens. (The Paper Architect, 2013). Architecture and design consist of privileged authorship and egos, but HCD requires an approach where a designer’s stamp is not visible. Their designs are places, and not objects, for people to be themselves. This makes us question what architecture and design really are, and what roles they should play in society. (The Paper Architect, 2013).

HCD is increasingly demonstrating the fact that it has a direct impact on our behaviour and our physical and mental health (Purkayastha, 2021). The design of anything balances the aesthetic and practical aspects. Many projects have multiple collaborators and goals, often leading to the users’ needs being forgotten or compromised in the design process (Gattupalli, 2023). Norman (2018) said that we should not solve the symptoms of the problem; we should solve the fundamental route of the problem. Everything is a system, and solving small parts of the system may give an inferior outcome. Optimisation of the local scale does not mean optimisation on a global scale. Think of the big picture. The goal is the people. (NNgroup & Norman, 2018). 

CONCLUSION

After looking at what HCD is and how it is implemented, as well as examining successful and unsuccessful examples of implementing HCD, it is clear that HCD should be considered a crucial factor when identifying and resolving a design problem. It is essential to design a space with the users’ requirements in mind and very important to create a design that surpasses the requirements to create a user-friendly space.

As listed above, it is clear that HCD can impact the user’s behaviour and physical and mental health; it impacts our daily lives and has the ability to influence social connections between groups of people. Designing with the users in mind also means designing sustainably. HCD could lead to a designed world that has a positive impact on our lives, allow us to connect to the people around us, and bring comfort to our daily lives. 

REFERENCES

·         Asad, N. (2020, March 12). Human-Centered Design: 9 Examples To Justify Why It Matters. WowMakers. Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://www.wowmakers.com/blog/9-human-centered-design-examples/

·         Field guide to Human-Centered Design. (2015). IDEO, 1, 15–17. https://d1r3w4d5z5a88i.cloudfront.net/assets/guide/Field%20Guide%20to%20Human-Centered%20Design_IDEOorg_English-0f60d33bce6b870e7d80f9cc1642c8e7.pdf

·         Gattupalli, A. (2023, March 12). Human-Centered Design: What Architects Can Learn from UX Designers. ArchDaily. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.archdaily.com/989103/human-centered-design-what-architects-can-learn-from-ux-designers

·         Interaction Design Foundation - IxDF & Interaction Design Foundation. (2020, March 2). What is Human-Centered Design? [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkUor_NTuDA

·         Kelley, D. & TED. (2008). David Kelley: The future of design is human-centered [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXndL3TNCmo

·         KS, C. (2021, December 12). Human-centered design explained with examples - UX Collective. Medium. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://uxdesign.cc/human-centered-design-explained-with-examples-707133acf8b4

·         Landry, L. (2020, December 15). What Is Human-Centered Design? | HBS Online. Business Insights Blog. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-human-centered-design#:~:text=Human-centered%20design%20is%20a%20problem-solving%20technique%20that%20puts,of%20mind%20during%20every%20phase%20of%20the%20process.

·         Linke, R. (2017, September 14). Design thinking, explained | MIT Sloan. MIT Sloan. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/design-thinking-explained

·         NNgroup, & Norman, D. (2018, August 10). Principles of Human-Centered Design (Don Norman) [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmM0kRf8Dbk

·         “People-Centred” Design in the Built Environment. (2013, October 16). The Paper Architect. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://thepaperarchitect.weebly.com/blog/people-centred-design-in-the-built-environment

·         Plattner, H. (2010). An introduction to Design Thinking - Process Guide. Institute of Design at Standford. https://web.stanford.edu/~mshanks/MichaelShanks/files/509554.pdf

·         Purkayastha, D. (2021, October 21). An overview of Human Centered Architecture. Rethinking the Future. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/architectural-styles/a5522-an-overview-of-human-centered-architecture/

·         Sherwin, C. (2018, October 11). Sustainability means shifting from human-centred to ‘humanity-centred’ design. Design Business Association. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.dba.org.uk/human-centred-humanity-centred-design/

·         TEDx Talks. (2013, May 16). User-centered Design: Aga Szóstek at TEDxWarsaw [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7CX2JYxfE8