The challenge of rapid technological advancement
Technology is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it offers incredible opportunities for innovation and growth. On the other, unlocking these opportunities requires a holistic approach that goes far beyond the technology itself.
Remember that only one out of ten innovations is a success? Often the technology is not to blame as a whole but the poorly defined customer or use case.
Take Google Glass for example, where the real issue was that no one understood its purpose. Or the Sony MiniDisc which was more difficult to use than the competing CD-writer).
We often help clients experiment with new ideas based on AI technology and many ideas are killed because we find out during research and experimentation that no one clearly benefits or needs them.
As business leaders, whether you are part of the Innovation team or the Digital team, you are on the front lines of this technological revolution. Your challenge? To untangle this ever-changing landscape and guide our world towards a future where technology serves us, not the other way around.
The Value of Human-Centred Design
Often organisations focus primarily on a new product’s feasibility and viability.
Human-Centred Design rebalances the focus by adding desirability.
So, what exactly is Human-Centred Design? Simply put, it is a design philosophy that puts people at the heart of the process. It is about understanding the needs, wants, and limitations of the users of your products and services. By focusing on the human aspect, we ensure that technology is designed with people in mind, making it more accessible, intuitive, and beneficial for us and our planet.
One of my favourite examples is the Dutch national Corona Check App we have helped put live in just three months. Through constant iterations with users, stakeholders and the entire project team, we ensured the app was accessible and inclusive of everyone – including the elderly, blind, low literate and digitally less savvy people. It proved to be a success story compared to the solutions of other countries.
Another great example is Eurocross, where we digitised a European medical insurance service – by using a radical human-centred design approach. We improved the patient experience by streamlining the process of seeking medical
help in foreign countries and providing a user-friendly platform for both patients and healthcare providers. Setting up a digital patient portal to support Eurocross’ services, provides patients a way to stay up-to-date about the status of their case file. By digitising the system, we optimised the already high-scored customer experience by reducing 23% of the time spent and stress caused by it. How? The patient dossier allows more transparent and faster operation, mitigating the communication overload, by creating a single source of truth.
Implementing Human-Centred Design
So, how can you implement Human-Centred Design in your organisation?
First of all, design is not just a one-off project. It is a company-wide way of working, a culture, a philosophy. The Institute of Design of Stanford describes five design pillars that form the basis for this new way of working; user-centricity, co-creation, a holistic approach to problem-solving, prototyping and iterative development.
Embedding design requires focus on building certain key elements such as culture, capabilities, roles and responsibilities, a strong purpose, KPI’s and above all – leadership.
As a leader in your organisation, you play a crucial role in promoting, supporting and implementing this approach. It is about fostering a culture of empathy, encouraging creative problem-solving, and being open to feedback and iteration.
One of the success stories I love referring to is our partnership with OLX (Prosus) to set up their OLX Innovation Lab – focusing on AI by Design solutions. We quickly discovered that by mixing innovators, AI specialists and designers we started to get the balance right on desirability, viability and feasibility during the innovation process.
Digital life made human
In a world where technology is evolving at breakneck speed, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. But, by putting the Human factor back in technology, at Koos, we believe in making digital life human.
So, are you ready to embrace Human-Centred Design in your organisation?
Share this blog with your team, start a conversation about HCD, and let’s shape a future where technology truly serves humanity.