Human centered design (HCD) is focused on deeply understanding people’s needs through observation, and interviewing, them in order to figure out what to make and why. Too often we think about what we can do before thinking about what we should do to help people do the things they want and need to do. The goal of HCD is to create new value - or what people often call “innovation”. If we spend our time thinking about how to create things people will love, we will innovate. Practicing the skills of HCD will help you create a human centered, action oriented approach to creating the best experiences you can for the people you serve.

1. chrisfinlay.com
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Human Centered Design
STARTER KIT
chrisfinlay.com
DESIGN THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE RIGHT PEOPLE

2. chrisfinlay.com
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Human centered design (HCD) is focused on deeply
understanding people’s needs through observation, and
interviewing, them in order to figure out what to make and why.
Too often we think about what we can do before thinking about
what we should do to help people do the things they want and
need to do."
"
The goal of HCD is to create new value - or what people often
call “innovation”. If we spend our time thinking about how to
create things people will love, we will innovate."
"
Practicing the skills of HCD will help you create a human
centered, action oriented approach to creating the best
experiences you can for the people you serve.
Unlock the power of !
Observation"
Visualization"
Collaboration"
Feedback"
Iteration"
"
In order to!
Clearly state your beliefs"
Share your ideas"
Document feedback"
Guide conversations"
Improve impact"
"
And discover!
What people care about"
How you can deliver it"
Where it fits in your work
This toolkit will help youWhat is Human Centered Design?

3. chrisfinlay.com
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OVERVIEW!
Too often we start with what a business can do,
before we work towards the people the business
exists to serve. In order to make the right things we
need to first understand the people we are
designing for."
1_Understand 2_Define 3_Create 4_Share 5_Learn
Understanding people’s unmet
needs is essential to creating
something they need and will
use. "
"
Go where people spend time,
watch them, and ask them
questions you need to start to
make sense of what you have
seen.
Start to define what problems
you have observed, what might
help solve those problems, and
what solving then would do for
people.
Now that you have some ideas
you need to make them
shareable. Words are powerful
but making to think is the best
way to make sure that you are
properly communicating your
ideas.
Once you have sketched some
ideas it is important that you
share them with the people who
would be using them. Briefly
share your sketches and ask for
feedback.
Continue to refine your ideas.
Choose a few and keep working
them. Often, you can combine
ideas to make one single one
that is even more robust. "
"
Keep learning by testing your
ideas with the people you are
trying to serve until you get
something that resonates with
them.
Using the methods of human centered design which
embraces people’s rich, complex lives is a powerful
way to address the challenge. It helps you get out
office and get to know the people you care about
creating products and services for.
The steps in this introductory toolkit will help you
identify key important challenges to address and be
clear about how you want to respond to them.

4. chrisfinlay.com
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UNDERSTAND!
Go where people are doing things that might inform
your work. That can be work, play, study, shopping,
etc. Watch them, ask them questions, document
through pictures and drawings, and look for patterns. "
1
Who are you trying to help?
(Give ‘em a name.)"
People Objects Environments Services
Who is important to people’s experience? What do they use to accomplish their
goals?
What spaces & places impact their
experience?
What services support them on their
journey?

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2 DEFINE"
After you have observed what people are doing, asked
them about it, and identified the key aspects that impact
their experience you are ready to describe their problems,
what you can do about it, and why that will improve their
ability to achieve their goals.
Problems Fixes Impact
What are their biggest problems? What should be done, based on what you know about
the people you are designing for?
What do you expect the results to be?
What do people want to do?
What is in their way?

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example
Notes Notes Notes
What can you make to help?
Share your designs with the people who
would use them, let them ask questions
and give feedback. Resist the urge to
defend your ideas. If they think it won’t
work, ask how they might solve the
challenge. Note what worked,"
what didn’t, how people react, and what
people suggest.
4 SHARE
3 CREATE!
Draw products and services that might solve people’s problems,
don’t think about cost or how it will be made yet.Think only
about how you can solve this problem for people. Btw, few
people think they can draw, but you only need to draw well
enough to get the idea across to be successful.

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What is the best version of your idea?
5
LEARN!
Revise the designs, show them to people
again, and keep doing this until you feel
like you have something of value for the
people you serve. After you have done
that then think about how to make it work
for the company."
"
Solutions must first help people do the
things they want to do, so they feel how
they want to feel. That is the only thing
that gets people to fall in love with the
things you make for them. "
"
Sometimes you may end up with one
strong idea that is made up of all the
others.
Notes Notes Notes

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What people want to… How you help to…
Avoid Ease
Do Enable
Feel Enrich
Their Story Your Story
Putting the big idea to work
After you have gone through the process of defining what
people need, creating sketches, learning, and iterating you will
need to move to defining the final idea and explaining why it will
work for people. This is often called a value proposition. Draw
the big idea below and define its value.