Teaching Human-Centered Design

Challenge

Our client wanted us to help them evolve into more of a human-centered design focused organization by assessing capabilities, process, and change readiness. 

Approach

Contextual Inquiry

We began with interviews and contextual observations of more than 40 employees at all levels in the organization. We assessed the company’s culture and understanding of human-centered design, particularly within the product design and development process. We analyzed processes, roles and responsibilities and talent and expertise. Following our field research, we created a transformation roadmap and included actionable recommendations to enhance internal alignment and build concrete skills.

Hands-On Skill-Building Workshops

Over the course of several weeks, the Useagility team conducted a series of 5-day intensive boot camps. These workshops used hands-on activities to build skills in key aspects of the user-centered design process and trained more than 50 employees throughout the business and technology teams about the spectrum of user-centered design. Then, cross-functional teams of business analysts, project managers and developers tackled real business problems the company was facing. 

Results

Customized training enabled a Fortune 500 construction company’s worldwide technology team to enhance the user-centered design skills they need to stay ahead of the competition. Team members left the training with the skills necessary to incorporate user-centered design methodologies and tools into the current design and development process, resulting in delivery of more effective and usable tools for end users.