Notes

The future is human-centred
https://replicauhren.online

Human-centred design is not just for humanizing digital products; it’s also a helpful way to remind us of our innate and indestructible desire for meaning and connection with one another.
I discovered the world of design thinking in 2015, and was immediately drawn to the concept of “human-centred design.” What a lovely way to remind us to put people first, I thought. But as I plunged myself into this new world, becoming part of the design community in Toronto, I learned how loaded the term “human-centred” is. It doesn’t include the planet and environment, and is thrown around to distract audiences with a product, service, or company that may be “ethical” or “good” on the surface. Just like anything that’s trending or being adopted by businesses, “human-centred” sounds great when you hear it but requires collaboration and commitment to actually implement.
So, what does “human-centred” even mean?
If you do a quick Google search on what human-centred design is, you’ll get a range of resources from agencies and academia: Donald Arthur Norman calls HCD a response to poor software design, while IDEO’s website opens with the line, “human-centred design sits at the intersection of empathy and creativity.” My favourite thing to do is look for the criticism: Jussi Pasanen argues that human-centred design is harmful when it is subordinate to business and financial viability, limits access to already marginalized groups, and exacerbates anthropomorphism. In any case, there is no set definition of human-centred design, and people tend to go with who they believe to be the authority of HCD practices anyway. The important thing to acknowledge is that we attach meaning to concepts in our own way.
To me, “human-centred” means that we are not alone in this. Human-centred design and practices call for a deeper look into our humanity: we are irrational, vulnerable beings who want meaning and connection. We’re getting sick of being scared of the future, of the unknown. My HCD practice is a combination of my design strategy education, social services career, and love for thought leaders such as Brené Brown. You can call me a total softie or Hufflepuff who uses design research for her work.
When I was first conducting research for my project on storytelling, I was playing around with the idea of a tangible tool. It made sense: research on my target audience of emerging adults (people ages 18–24) pointed to a design solution that is decidedly non-digital. When I presented my research to a panel at the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design + Technology, they told me to beware of individualism. They stressed that I should make something that two or more people can use together. I didn’t realize until recently how valuable that feedback would be for my work in human-centred design.
Because as I moved my research along, I learned how storytelling, vulnerability, empathy, and other soft skills are now deemed important for the future of work (1). These concepts have becoming emerging trends in the workplace because of the research on motivation and wellbeing (2). On a more human level, though, I realized that these concepts all require connection and a dynamic dialogue between people — which is not something you can easily have with a screen.
I ended up designing a board game called Narrative Journeys. It’s intended to be human-centred, because it features storytelling using dialogue and found objects to help players connect with each other and help solve problems together. Although this game is still in its early stages, I know that it demonstrates my deep love for and understanding of what makes us human.
I firmly believe that our future is not as bleak as some would paint it. Humans will always crave connection and meaning, and the only way to do that is with each other. And if a human-centred approach is one of kindness and compassion, that’s not a bad way to design our future with one another.
(1) https://21stcenturychallenges.org/challenges/https://twentyonetoys.com/blogs/teaching-21st-century-skills/art-science-and-the-brain-new-models-of-learning-for-the-21st-centuryhttps://www.edglossary.org/21st-century-skills/http://www.ksbe.edu/_assets/spi/pdfs/21st_Century_Skills_Brief.pdf
(2) https://www.mindful.org/loving-kindness-meditation-makes-better-human/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/28/magazine/what-google-learned-from-its-quest-to-build-the-perfect-team.html?_r=0
This post was first published on https://www.camilletalag.com/.

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