Methodology

Why Human-Centered Design Matters

A big design misconception is that its purpose is to make something look pretty. While we might pick up a product, download an app, or try a restaurant solely on aesthetic appeal, that’s not always what makes us return, use something over and over again, or make it part of our lives.  Typography, colors, and imagery might play a big role in design, but that’s not what defines a well-designed product. Design is not judging a book by its cover but bridging the gap between first impressions and the story.

So, how do we find the right story?

An exercise we often work through with our clients involves defining purpose and making sure we revisit that purpose if we find ourselves wandering away from the bigger picture. Simon Sinek’s principle of the Golden Circle is an excellent way to establish purpose and create those breadcrumbs to follow through in our decision making process. As Sinek explains, many companies can describe what they do, how they do it, but not always why. The problem here is people don’t actually want to buy what you do, but rather why you do it. This is your purpose, your story, and hopefully the driving force behind your product or project.

Design is not judging a book by its cover but bridging the gap between first impressions and the story.

Framing the proper ‘why’ helps us dive into the role human-centered design plays in both innovation and creative problem-solving. In a nutshell, it’s a methodology involving human perspective in all stages of the problem-solving process. So, what does that actually mean?

Standard processes of project and product development assess viewpoints in business and technology, but often overlook the third and most important pillar– the human perspective of our audience and consumer. These are all cogs in a three-part wheel. We can’t operate and move forward without a systematic agreement of all three working together. Viewpoints on the business and technology side often involve assessment and research, while the human perspective is slightly more nuanced.

While we want to conduct our own analysis of the human perspective through research and input, we have to identify how it differs from the less malleable environment of both business and technology.

Take these three approaches to product development and design:

In a problem-driven perspective, you approach the project by determining the underlying problems the end result is meant to solve. In this case, turning the square peg into a round peg.

In a solution-driven perspective, problems and situational parameters have already been provided and the main focus is to provide solutions and solve the determined issues. In other words, creating a square hole.  

In a purpose-driven perspective, you do not start with the problem or even the solution, but dive several layers further, or several steps back, into the root of the project by iterative process. In this metaphor, our solution takes into account the ability to accommodate all sorts of peg shapes. 

As French writer, Antoine de Saint Exupery wrote, "Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." Though often applied to the idea of aesthetics in design, what if we applied this to our process? Instead of fitting each situation into a rinse and repeat cycle, we can change the process to fit the situation.

Before suggesting solutions, we need to stretch our empathy muscles. Empathy is more than a flag bearer approach to communicating, it helps us gain better understanding and appreciation for motive, behavior, and ultimately the need for change. We go into the field aiming to understand user goals, unmet needs, and emotional responses. We collaborate and switch views until we meet all perspectives without missing out on the details. Then we apply these learned elements at all iterative milestones, so each cycle draws on exponentially higher fidelity than the one before. These are all contributing factors to building sustainable, human-centered, and purpose-driven design solutions. 

Instead of fitting each situation into a rinse and repeat cycle, we can change the process to fit the situation.

Think about a building you walked into recently. Focus on your reactions to the space. Even before entering, did you admire the outside facade, look at the materials, or observe the overall shape of the structure? Did you walk into the building because you could, or for a purpose? Once inside, how did you navigate moving through the space horizontally, or even vertically? Where are the stairwells, elevators, and signage? Is the lobby intuitive? Can you locate the room or space you need? How is the lighting? Does the sound carry? This opens the Pandora’s box of questions but garners an important point. Although a building can be aesthetically pleasing, that will never make up for the human experience. Designers can draw on previous plans, ideas, and layouts, but if the purpose of the building is not the same, you will begin to notice those gaps when you can’t find your meeting room or the restroom.

This idea is largely what human-centered design aims to solve. In our metaphor of the building, it establishes why we're there, what our primary and secondary objectives are, how we feel about the space, how it accommodates our needs, and what it looks like. It builds on preconceived notions and aggregates perspectives, with a reminder that usability is rooted in empathy.

Industrial designer Dieter Ramms coined the phrase, “Good design is invisible.” Jared Spool, software developer and programmer, adds, “It’s only when it’s done poorly that we notice it.”

We notice bad design. We are twice as likely to file a complaint review than a positive one. The qualities that make good design invisible are more than just looks or features. It’s the supporting elements of research, empathy, and purpose-driven approach that makes up human-centered design. Ultimately, these invisible elements are what guide our decision to return to a place, to use something over and over again, and even make it part of our day-to-day lives.

At Caza Creative we combine human-centered design and purpose-driven processes to build custom frameworks that help organizations communicate with their audiences. Whether you need support sharing information, an idea, a brand, or a product, we aim to cultivate your story with its own 'invisible' design.

Caza Creative, LLC

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