Human-Centered Design Fundamentals

Design products that accommodate actual human cognition and behavior rather than expecting humans to adapt to arbitrary system requirements.

When to Use

✅ Use for:

• Physical product design (doors, appliances, controls, tools)
• Digital interface design (software, touchscreens, dashboards)
• System design where human error is critical (medical devices, industrial controls, aircraft)
• Redesigning systems after repeated user errors
• Creating instructions and documentation
• Error prevention and safety-critical systems

❌ NOT for:

• Pure visual design without functional components
• Marketing and brand identity
• Autonomous systems with no human interaction
• Systems where users have unlimited training time and perfect memory

Core Process