Volume 13 Issue 1 August - October 2017
Research Paper
Benefits of
Using Human Centred Design Methods in Industrial Design
Tom Page*, Gisli Thorsteinsson**
* Senior Lecturer,
Loughborough Design School, United Kingdom.
** Professor, Department of Design and Craft Education,
Iceland University of Education, Iceland.
Page, T., and
Thorsteinsson, G. (2017). Benefits of Using Human Centred Design Methods in
Industrial Design. i-manager’s Journal
on Future Engineering and Technology, 13(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.26634/jfet.13.1.13757
Abstract
The aim
of this paper recognised both the tangible and intangible benefits of using
Human Centred Design methods (HCD) in industrial design. Implications of using
and not using them were studied as well as how and why they were employed in
industry. Surveys were directed towards current design professionals in global
company Mondelez International Ltd. Interviews were conducted with Industrial
Design final year undergraduates who had experience working in the Industrial
Design industry. Results showed the main benefit for using HCD is to aid the
decision-making process. Other key benefits were identified: HCD helps keep in
touch with users; it prevents people designing based on preconceptions; and it
reduces the need to make costly amendments to designs in the latter stages of
projects. A key implication of using HCD, preventing most participants from
fully integrating it within the design process, was also identified as using up
valuable time and resources. The study determined that there are numerous advantages
to performing HCD in the design industry. It is considered that an intelligent
use of them can prevent the majority negative implications outlined, benefiting
the design process through an increased understanding of the user.
No comments:
Post a Comment