What is humanity-centered design?
After tuning into Don Norman’s fireside chat on ADPList, I wanted to learn more about this term “Humanity centered design”, this next step in design thinking whereby the designer thinks beyond just serving the customer but also the broader ecosystem as well as future generations. In this article, I’m going to be referencing the books pictured above which I have read and found useful in my career, that could which could to understand this idea better.
The definition stated by the Interaction Design Foundation (2022):
“Humanity-centered design represents the ultimate challenge for designers to help people improve their lives. Where “human-centered” puts a face to a user, “humanity-centered” expands this view far beyond: to the societal level of world populations who face hordes of highly complex and interrelated issues that are most often tangled up in large, sophisticated, “human-caused” systems.”
This definition, which takes a more hollistic approach, clarifies the differences between the old and new definitions. Whilst human-centered design (HCD), addresses the need of individuals, humanity-centered design (HCD 2.0) expands its definition to not only people but living things and the environment. One could say that expands even the mindset of designer to think more long term and to think of future complications. Another thing to mention is that although Don Norman continued to refer to designers as facilitators and enablers at the fireside chat, the new definition does not address this idea as such well at least explicitly. But, the new definition does explicitly address important issues such as sustainability, equity, and bias that should be addressed in the design process. Overall, it’s a good.
The books listed below, which I also recommend reading touch on the HCD 2.0 principles:
- The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman encourages designers to go beyond surface level problems by delving into the underlying issues. By trying to understand the root causes of problems that users may face, designers can come up with more effective and lasting solutions.
- Weapons of Reason by design agency Human After All, examines global issues such as environment, population, health, and technology to inspire designers to broaden their minds and study how to address complex, interconnected problems that affect humanity as a whole. By fostering empathy, understanding, and systems thinking,
- The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, encourages designers to adopt an iterative design process, constantly testing and refining solutions based on user feedback. This aligns with HCD 2.0 as it promotes continuous learning which Sprint by Jake Knapp also encourages to continuously refine after launches to ensure solutions genuinely meet users’ needs.
- Algorithms to Live By, by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths, helps designers to understand systems thinking to understand the interdependencies within complex systems and anticipate potential future consequences. Helping designers make better and more informed decisions. Designing not only to immediate user needs but to also consider long-term impacts in the ecosystem.
- The Black Experience in Design by Anne H. Berry, highlights the importance of inclusivity and representation in design. As we have read in the definition of HCD 2.0 it is important to encourage designers to collaborate with the community, fostering a more equitable and diverse design process.
The emergence of Humanity-Centered Design (HCD 2.0) signifies a transformative shift in the design landscape, prompting designers to adopt a more holistic and responsible approach that focuses on the betterment of humanity as a whole. By considering the broader ecosystem, long-term consequences, and the needs of future generations, this new definition encourages designers to play a pivotal role in creating sustainable, inclusive, and equitable solutions, ultimately contributing to a brighter future for all.
I hope you found this article useful and I will be writing some more :)
