Summary
Context
After the success of our formal showcase (see case study below) the team were invited by the Chief Customer Officer to speak at the upcoming internal conference. The main focus of the presentation was a live demo of the MVP.
The aim of the masterclasses was to provide an overview of Human-Centred Design to students on courses including Interactive Design and Visual Communication.
Some examples from the topics in both sessions include:
- Overview of the background to and methodologies of HCD & Design Thinking
- Research approach and methodologies
- Empathy and conscious & unconscious bias in design.
Both sessions had a Q&A session at the end to allow the students to ask questions to clarify and deepen their understanding.
outcomes
Students were able to understand, at a high level, what HCD and Design Thinking are as well as understanding more about design research methodologies and application.
The emphasis on research was particularly important to the Interactive Design students who were at the beginning of their course and had just been given their design challenge for their coursework.
Personal reflection
I think about design more than I realise
Each time I teach a group about HCD I surprise myself with being able to draw on better and better examples – examples that illustrate the point and catch the audiences attention. Some are examples I see online, images of bike paths with powerlines in the middle of them etc, but often I’m able to share examples of things I’ve noticed in my day-to-day life (e.g a soap dispenser that is located so far across the basin that it would be near impossible for someone in a wheelchair to reach.) Taking the time to notice, and think about what I notice, helps me see the world from different vantage points. I believe this helps make me a better designer.
Summary
Context
HCD and Design Thinking were still relatively new to the organisation and there were only a small number of people skilled in this area. The Customer Experience Design Team were often called upon for large immersive projects meaning that teams with smaller ad hoc challenges weren’t always able to get the support they desired. A short, half day, course was developed to provide people with an overview of, and first hand experience working with, HCD and Design Thinking so they felt more equipped to use these approaches in their day-to-day work.
structure
- Overview of the background and methodologies of HCD & Design Thinking
- Formulating a “How Might We” question to help them with the existing problem
- Facilitating problem exploration through approaches such as the Five Why’s
- Facilitating ideation and rough prototyping using approaches such as Magic 8’s.
Outcomes
People were able to understand, at a high level, what HCD and Design Thinking are as well as understanding how & when to use them
Additionally, creating a safe environment for people to explore HCD and Design Thinking allowed space for participants to find a new perspective on an old problem
Personal reflection
Maybe I can learn to dislike public speaking a little less
Whilst I knew that “teaching back” was an effective learning tool, standing up to deliver a workshop on HCD visibly demonstrated how much I’d learnt and how my ways of working and thought processes had changed since moving from Insights into HCD.
Whilst I know I don’t know everything (there’s always more to learn about anything), I have accepted, and am giving myself a high-five for, that the realisation that I know way more than I gave myself credit for.
[NB: Reflection writted after running my first workshop]
I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands and waterways in which I work.
I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging.