GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia
Human-Centered Design Tools and Techniques are some of the most powerful design strategies used to create user-friendly digital products and services. This design approach helps to ensure that end products are tailored specifically to the needs of the user, which can ultimately improve user experience and increase customer loyalty. Human-centered design starts by thoroughly understanding the customer’s needs and then applying processes and tools that bring the customer’s needs to the center of the development process.
The human-centered design toolkit includes a range of techniques such as user research, usability tests, wireframing, prototyping, and cognitive walkthroughs. Below are two case studies to help illustrate different ways in which these tools and techniques can be applied to create successful outputs.
Case Study 1 – Retail
The first example is the development of an ecommerce website for a retail company. Through customer research, the team was able to identify key pain points and usability issues that the customer was experiencing with its current website. The team then used wireframing to develop a prototype that incorporated the customer’s needs and addressed any usability issues. During the development process, usability tests were conducted to allow the team to observe user interaction and make any necessary changes. Finally, a cognitive walkthrough of the final product was conducted to make sure it was intuitive and easy to use. The end result was an improved user experience for the customer and an increase in sales for the company.
Case Study 2 – Online News Service
The second example is the development of a mobile app for an online news service. The design team conducted user research to identify how the customer read news on their mobile device and what features they would like to see implemented. The team then created wireframes and interactive prototypes to incorporate the customer’s needs. During the development process, a usability test was conducted to observe user behavior when navigating the app. Finally, the app was tested through a cognitive walkthrough to make sure it was user-friendly. The end result was an enhanced user experience for the customer and an increase in the number of active users of the app.
Conclusion
These two case studies demonstrate the power of human-centered design tools and techniques. By understanding the customer’s needs and incorporating them into the design process, you can develop successful digital products that are tailored to the user’s needs and improve customer experience.
SPECIAL BONUS: Braden Kelley’s Problem Finding Canvas can be a super useful starting point for doing design thinking or human-centered design.
“The Problem Finding Canvas should help you investigate a handful of areas to explore, choose the one most important to you, extract all of the potential challenges and opportunities and choose one to prioritize.”
Image credit: Pixabay
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