HCD is a way of thinking that places people at the center of the design, innovation and implementation process
An HCD approach supports our work :
1. Understand the cause of the problem better
- Will help unravel the complexity of the problem
- Will build empathy for our communities
- Will be able to collaborate with communities to understand the causes
Therefore better framed problems
2. Design better solutions
- Will be relevant to the community’s needs
- Will be accessible and friendly to adopt and use
- Will be considerate of resources available to maintain and manage solutions continually
Therefore more sustainable in the long run
The key elements of the HCD approach within LISTEN include:
We keep the people we serve at the center of our work
We learn from each other as we collaborate
We value lived experience as much as expertise
We seek to understand people’s behaviors that are influenced by their mental models, beliefs, emotions, social norms and systems they engage with
HCD IS A PROCESS
We talk about HCD as a process for problem solving that focuses on developing a thorough understanding of the problem area before designing solutions for it.
HCD IS A MINDSET
We talk about HCD as a mindset that we can bring into our work and personal lives in an effort to center the people we are serving.
HCD CAPACITY BUILDING
- Leverages community expertise on their problems and what works in their contexts
- Supports localized and sustainable innovations that are owned by the community
There are three different HCD trainings to support LISTEN through the application of HCD in partnering with communities to address problems. Each training consists of a training guide and modules that can be adapted for the audience you are engaging with. There is an HCD toolkit available in the Introduction to HCD materials. These resources are free and to access them you will be asked to register. We strongly encourage you to collaborate with others and remember, the best way to learn HCD is to do HCD