Human-centered Design
Methodologies that bring real people to think creatively
Human-centered Design is a creative approach to problem solving. It is a processes that brings to the center of the table the very real people that live and experience challenges that are not yet solved. Through a variety of interactions, people are invited to share their perspectives about an issue, to think together about solutions using their hands and imagination, and are constantly involved on testing and giving feedback to possible products, programs or policies.
The Human-centered Design journey consists of three phases:
A deep learning process through immersing yourself on peoples’ experiences about an issue, in order to understand their challenges and needs. In this phase there are many moments of shared sense-making and insights generations.
A creative thinking and hands-on phase of imagining and prototyping possible solutions. People from different backgrounds who experience the challenges in different levels - e.g service provider and service user - are invited to discuss and think together solutions that resonates with all players.
Implementing and measuring impact are an essential processes that need as much attention as the previous ones. Implementing a project is also transferring ownership to partners that will carry on the initiatives. In this phase is it is important not only to deliver a plan of action but also tools for measuring short, medium and long term impact, as well as resources to keep innovation and creative thinking alive.
Find bellow a variety of methodologies that I developed for human-centered design processes.
Workshop led by the Beer Sheva I-team to City Workers on how to define a problem for Beer Sheva’s first Municipal Hackathon.
Defining a problem
Prompts are used to stimulate teams to understand the actual problem they want to solve. From defining pain points that needs to be addressed, brainstorming the potential causes and consequences, to mapping useful data and target audience, this series of exercises provides an initial framework for a team to get ready to explore more deeply the challenge chosen.
City workers, students, old residents, artists and entrepreneurs use ideation tools to understand and think together solutions to the City.
Methodologies for idea generation - Ideation
Strategic insights are fundamental, but as important, is to transform new knowledge into tangible tools that regular people can understand, get excited, and react to it. Great part of my work in the ideation phase is to translate research insights into methodologies that invites people to connect with the problem and think creatively on how to solve it. Some of the tools I built are based on personas and scenarios, which represents challenges well known by the participants. While sitting around a table, these tools allow people with different experiences to connect and have empathy to each other, resulting in ideas that look o solve different sides of the same problem.
Field exploration in Beer Sheva helped understand how neglected sites influences the perception of cleanliness in the city.
Ethnography
Ethnography is a branch from anthropology that investigates cultural phenomenas through the subjects’ perspectives. Tools from this field, like in depth interviews and field exploration, are commonly used in design research processes to understand people’s points of view regarding challenges they face. As a design anthropologist, I use those tools and my cultural sensitivity to identify potential challenges for social innovation.
Samples of stormwater absorption technologies placed in various sites of Jersey City to test their quality and educate residents about it.
Prototyping
Prototype is used to test ideas in a cheap and quick way while a product, project or service is being developed. A prototype can take many forms. It can be variations of the same product, like an application form when you want to test which version works best with the targeted audience. But it can also be a series of event that tests different educational or cultural programs with the audience that will use it in the future. The advantage of prototyping is that you get quick feedback from your public at the same time you involve them in the process of developing the service. This step build trust and buy-in form stakeholders.
A sense making session in the Beer Sheva I-team with professionals from different fields.
Sense making and insights generation
In sense making and insight generation sessions, I build an interdisciplinary team formed by the field researchers, data analyst, academics, and strategists. During a typical sessions, field researchers download the interviews conducted, and together with the rest of team, who also bring in data and knowledge, patterns begin to emerge and profound insights start to get shapeded
Tool kit containing Beer Sheva I-team’s methodologies developed during its 3 years of activity.
Tool kits
Tool kits are an excellent way to compile and share methodological tools that were tested and provided good outcomes. It is also a deliverable that allows your partners to keep thinking strategically and creatively even after you leave. A good tool kit has a rational behind that matches with clients’ needs; speaking his language and inviting him to revisit it as much as needed.
Card prompts and letters for each life stage of Beer Sheva I-team.
The Life Cycle of a Public Innovation Lab
Based on LIFE CYCLES OF PUBLIC INNOVATION LABS, a publication from ENAP’s (the Brazilian National School for Public Administration) in partnership with São Paulo City Hall, Lab 011 and G.Nova; I used the learnings from the study to build an exercise that navigates the life and death of a Public Innovation Lab. Designed specially for the Beer Sheva I-team, but suitable to any innovation team, the activity has cards and prompts that invite team members to revisit the early stages of a lab incubation, its coming of age, maturing, and death or after life. The analogy made between a lab and an human being life cycle allows for a dynamic experience that highlights achievements, challenges and turning points experienced during the team’s existence. The outcome of this activity is a “Legacy Plan”.