Human-Centered Design
[ HYOO-mun SEN-terd dih-ZYNE ]An approach to creating products and services that begins by trying to understand people's goals, abilities, and environments. Human-Centered Design (or HCD) typically involves developing ideas through iterations of prototypes that are evaluated with real users to improve fit, usability, and experience. The process tries to ensure that what gets designed actually works for the people who will use it, rather than forcing people to adapt to the design.
HCD is synonymous with User-Centred Design and is often combined with other approaches like Participatory Design to involve users more deeply. In recent years, the More-Than-Human Design movement has emerged partly as a response to HCD, embracing the idea of appreciating the broader impact of designs beyond just the people who use them.
