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Putting the human back in human-centred design
The biggest benefit of creating new products with tech is the chance to solve human problems. To do that, we need to understand people better.
When we make technological advances, we can make life better for some people and worse for others. We solve one problem but we may create another. This is why empathy is the number one quality needed by designers. Ethics in design is a hot topic.
I’ve been thinking about this in relation to a specific problem. Loneliness is a well-documented issue in today’s society. Over nine million people in the UK are always or often lonely. A large number of us live alone. Big cities can be lonely places. People are transient, always moving on to new situations. It can be difficult to find a sense of community. Working patterns are also changing. Increasing numbers are working remotely from home or other locations. The result is that many people need more opportunities for face-to-face human interaction. Is technology helping or hindering?
Checking out of humanity at the check-out
Technology has made food shopping easier and more convenient. We are no longer at the mercy of opening hours. We can order shopping online at any time of day and get it delivered to our doors. But for most of us, going to the local shop is still a regular…
