Design With the User
Successful digital initiatives are rooted in an understanding of user characteristics, needs and challenges. User-centered design — also referred to as design thinking or human-centered design — starts with getting to know the people you are designing for through conversation, observation and co-creation. Information gathered through this engagement leads to building, testing and redesigning tools until they effectively meet user needs. By designing with the users, and not for them, you can build digital tools to better address the specific context, culture, behaviors and expectations of the people who will directly interact with the technology. Designing together means partnering with users throughout the project lifecycle, co-creating solutions, and continuously gathering and incorporating users’ feedback.
Core Tenets
- Incorporate multiple user types and stakeholders in each phase of the project lifecycle to direct feature needs and revise the design. Here, users are people who will interact directly with the tool or system, and stakeholders are people who will be affected by or have an interest in the tool or system, such as people whose data are being collected, government officials or researchers who may study the data collected.
- Design tools that improve users’ current processes, saving time, using fewer resources and improving quality.
- Develop context-appropriate tools informed by users’ priorities and needs, considering the ecosystem and accepting that digital tools will not always be the best fit.
- Develop the tool in an incremental and iterative manner, with clear objectives and purpose in mind.
- Ensure that the design is sensitive to and considers the needs of the traditionally underserved.
- Embrace an iterative process that allows for incorporating feedback and adapting your tool after the initial testing and launch.
- Be open about setting expectations, and let people opt out of participating in the design process.