Human Centered Design ········· 2020
Contemplating


All Perspectives Matter!
(Well... in this case)
“Human-centered design is about getting to the people you’re designing for and hearing from them in their own words” (Field Guide to Human-Centered Design)


If you let them, interviews can be the most fun part of the design process. Engaging with the very people you are trying to improve the lives of makes the project feel that much more important. It can be intimidating at times, but the reward of connecting with these people outweighs the initial butterflies in the stomach.


"People with different identities, perspectives, and backgrounds (e.g. race, religion, sexual orientation, etc.) will bring holistic insights into any setting, particularly through knowledge building, problem-solving, and implementation. Also, each sector of society contributes different perspectives and knowledge bases that should be brought together to effectively approach problems. We especially need to include the individuals and communities affected, also known as living experts, who are often excluded from design and decision-making processes” (Equity-Centered Community Design Field Guide)


A lot of design solutions we are familiar with weren't created with a human-centered approach in mind. Caroline Criado Perez speaks about this in her book Invisible Women, where she specifically points out the lack of consideration of women during the design process. When the people responsible for making decisions overlook diverse perspectives, the results suffer.


Preparing for our interviews, it will be important that we keep the tips from these readings in mind. We want to create a solution that can benefit all who interact with it, whatever it may be.