Human Centered Design

We don't design Nouns. 
We design Verbs.

Human Centered Design is a framework for approaching complicated problems that focuses on keeping the end user in mind during the entire design process. The process can be applied to virtually any type of problem, ranging from improved design of physical products (software or hard goods) to systems and services that a user experiences. In addition to anchoring the design process around the end users, HCD stresses that goal of your work should be to create a better experience for the user instead of simply a better physical product.
One of the most impactful things that I learned through this class is that you should never set out to design 'a better (thing)', instead, you should figure out how to give your users the best experience, and let that determine what type of solutions (hardware, software, etc) you should create to solve the problem. ​​

Components of Human Centered Design

Class Projects

DART Ridership
For our first project in this class, we addressed the statement of: How might we increase SMU student ridership on the DART? (Dallas Area Rapid Transit). We utilized the full HCD framework for this project, with a focus the prototyping phase of the process. After experiencing what it was like to use the DART system for ourselves and analyzing our observations of the experience, our team decided to focus on making it easier for SMU students to get to the nearest DART station (a 15 - 20 minute walk from campus). We felt that one of the main reasons SMU students did not often use DART was because of the high activation energy required to get to the station. To address this issue, our team prototyped the use of way-finding signage on campus that explained the easiest ways to get to the DART station and de-mystified the use of the campus shuttle system. 

During our final presentation of our work, the head of the DART Marketing department (who was present at the presentations) specifically asked our team to send her our research and conclusions so that she could use it to guide her work at DART. We were the only team in the class that she asked this of. 

Dallas Voter Turnout
For our second project in this class, we addressed the statement of: How might we increase local voter turnout among young adult Dallasites? For this project, we addressed this issue with a focus on the research phase of the HCD process. We created a detailed research plan that spanned two weeks and included a variety of different research methods that we learned from the class. The main research methods we used were man on the street interviews, and one on one interviews where we had the participants write a love/breakup letter to the local Dallas government and participate in a card sort exercise related to their views on what local politics mean to them. Analysis of our research showed us that there was a a severe lack of exposure for information about local politics and a 'Disengagement Cycle' occurring between the local politicians and young voters in which the local politicians openly stated that they did not market to the young adult population of Dallas because of the group's low voter turnout. For more information about feel free to read our team's research report.