Cited by 259Innovative Human-Technology InteractionDesign Education and PracticeUsability and User Interface Design

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Tensions in human-centred design

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Steen, Marc·2011·CoDesign

DOI 10.1080/15710882.2011.563314

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Abstract

In human-centred design (HCD), researchers and designers attempt to cooperate with and learn from potential users of the products or services which they are developing. Their goal is to develop products or services that match users’ practices, needs and preferences. In this position paper it is argued that HCD practitioners need to deal with two tensions that are inherent in HCD: they need to combine and balance users’ knowledge and ideas with their own knowledge and ideas; and they need to combine and balance a concern for understanding current or past practices with a concern for envisioning alternative or future practices. Six HCD approaches – participatory design, ethnography, the lead user approach, contextual design, codesign and empathic design – are discussed in order to argue that these different approaches are different ways to cope with the two tensions. In addition, several examples from practice are provided to illustrate these tensions. Moreover, it is advocated that HCD practitioners critically reflect on their practices, their methods and their own involvement, so that they can more consciously follow specific HCD approaches and more mindfully cope with the two tensions.

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Authors: Steen, M.
Affiliations: Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (NL)
Corresponding author: Steen, Marc
ORCID: Steen, Marc
Venue: CoDesign
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Published: 2011-03
Volume: 7
Issue: 1
Pages: 45-60
ISSN: 1571-0882 (ISSN-L)
1745-3755
DOI: 10.1080/15710882.2011.563314
OpenAlex: W2149423735
Cited by: 258
References: 62
Citations by year: 2026: 14 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 27 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 4
FWCI: 9.59
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: green
zenodo.org
Licence: other-oa
Locations: CoDesign (publishedVersion)
TNO Repository (submittedVersion)
Repository hosted by TU Delft Library (TU Delft) (submittedVersion)
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Topics: Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Innovative Human-Technology Interaction
Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Design Education and Practice
Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Usability and User Interface Design
Keywords: human-centered design, design tensions, user knowledge, practitioner knowledge, participatory design, ethnography, contextual design, empathic design

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