How do you use human-centered design in consulting?

1 Understand the context

Before you jump into brainstorming or prototyping, you need to understand the context of the problem you are trying to solve. This means conducting research, interviews, observations, and surveys with the people who are affected by the problem, as well as the stakeholders who have a role or interest in the solution. You want to empathize with their needs, challenges, aspirations, and behaviors, and identify the root causes and opportunities for change.

2 Define the problem

Once you have gathered enough insights from your research, you need to define the problem in a clear and concise way. A good way to do this is to use a problem statement that summarizes who you are designing for, what their needs are, and why they are important. For example, "How might we help low-income families access affordable and nutritious food in urban areas?" A problem statement can help you focus your scope, goals, and criteria for success.

3 Ideate solutions

The next step is to generate as many ideas as possible for potential solutions. You want to be creative, diverse, and collaborative in your ideation process, and avoid judging or filtering your ideas at this stage. You can use different techniques, such as brainstorming, mind mapping, sketching, or storyboarding, to explore different angles and perspectives. You can also seek inspiration from other sources, such as best practices, case studies, or analogies.

4 Prototype and test

The final step is to turn your ideas into tangible prototypes that you can test with your users and stakeholders. A prototype can be anything that simulates or represents your solution, such as a mock-up, a storyboard, a role-play, or a minimum viable product (MVP). The purpose of prototyping and testing is to get feedback, learn from your users, and iterate your solution based on what works and what doesn't. You want to test your assumptions, validate your value proposition, and measure your impact.

5 Communicate and implement

Once you have a refined and validated solution, you need to communicate and implement it effectively. This means creating a compelling story that showcases your process, insights, and outcomes, and persuading your clients and stakeholders to adopt or support your solution. You also need to plan and execute the implementation of your solution, which may involve scaling, partnering, or sustaining your impact. You want to ensure that your solution is feasible, desirable, and viable for your users and stakeholders.

6 Learn and improve

HCD is not a linear or one-time process, but a continuous cycle of learning and improving. You need to monitor and evaluate your solution, and collect feedback and data from your users and stakeholders on an ongoing basis. You want to identify what is working well and what can be improved, and make adjustments accordingly. You also want to share your learnings and best practices with your team, your clients, and your community, and celebrate your achievements and impact.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?