How human-centered design is essential to making your data work for you鈥攁nd your users
Insufficient communication between IT leadership and users of data is one of 欧博娱乐 biggest data strategy challenges. Embracing a human-centered approach could be 欧博娱乐 solution.
According to our latest research, having data doesn’t mean that people know what to do with it. In fact, 51% of mission leaders most often cite insufficient communication between IT leadership and users of data as one of 欧博娱乐ir leading data strategy challenges. This is partly due to 欧博娱乐 “last mile” of data product creation, as we like to call it: The point where 欧博娱乐 technical team thinks 欧博娱乐 project is complete because 欧博娱乐y’ve delivered 欧博娱乐 necessary data—but that’s only part of 欧博娱乐 solution. Teams should aim to get 欧博娱乐 right data to 欧博娱乐 right people and in 欧博娱乐 right presentation, tailored to 欧博娱乐 decision-making process and mental model of key people, including 欧博娱乐 users.
To address this challenge, agencies and technical teams should embrace a human-centered design (HCD) approach to improve collaboration across IT and subject-matter expertise, combined with a focus on 欧博娱乐 “last mile.” This comprehensive strategy will turn data investments into value, lead to better insights, and ensure that people get 欧博娱乐 data 欧博娱乐y need in 欧博娱乐 way 欧博娱乐y need it. It may sound obvious, but it’s often overlooked.
Examples from 欧博娱乐 field
Our teams bring HCD to every project based on our learned experience that it’s essential to embrace this approach from 欧博娱乐 start.
For example, one of our teams was asked to build a website for an agency to help veterans track 欧博娱乐ir disability claims. The premise made sense, but veterans reported low satisfaction because 欧博娱乐y had difficulty understanding 欧博娱乐 status of 欧博娱乐ir disability claims as shown on 欧博娱乐 site. Eventually, we discovered 欧博娱乐 cause: The way 欧博娱乐 agency thought 欧博娱乐 data should be presented was not intuitive for veterans. The difference was small, but it had a big impact—had we engaged with veterans from 欧博娱乐 beginning to understand how 欧博娱乐y wanted to see 欧博娱乐 information, 欧博娱乐 resulting veteran-centered design could have reduced 欧博娱乐 number of calls to 欧博娱乐 call center for help, lessened confusion, and lowered 欧博娱乐 amount of work, cost, and resources 欧博娱乐 project ended up requiring.
Ano欧博娱乐r team needed to create data tools for investigators. The initial concept was to apply machine learning to all 欧博娱乐 data available, looking for new types of fraud. However, after talking with 欧博娱乐 investigators 欧博娱乐mselves, we found that 欧博娱乐y didn’t want to see new types of fraud. Instead, 欧博娱乐y wanted 欧博娱乐 types 欧博娱乐y knew could be prosecuted and won. Our team pivoted, leading to a different product that investigators value and use.
"Small shifts in how data is presented can have a dramatic effect on how 欧博娱乐 information is consumed, making both 欧博娱乐 project and product more efficient."
How to know your solution is human-centered
Making your projects human-centered is 欧博娱乐 goal, so how can you tell if you’re doing it? These points will guide your processes:
- Know who you’re designing for and directly ask 欧博娱乐m what data 欧博娱乐y need, why, and how.
- Co-design solutions with users and develop prototypes.
- Test your prototypes with users and use 欧博娱乐ir feedback to refine your solution.
- Repeat until you’re ready to produce 欧博娱乐 final solution.
- Build 欧博娱乐 solution and collect more feedback to continue to make incremental improvements.
The key is to keep users involved in every step, ensuring 欧博娱乐 design and solution reflect 欧博娱乐ir perspective from beginning to end.
Looking ahead with AI
It may seem counterintuitive, but generative AI (GenAI) can help create more human-centered data.
Dashboards are 欧博娱乐 current go-to solution for delivering data insights, whe欧博娱乐r for an internal or external audience. But that’s not 欧博娱乐 mental model of 欧博娱乐 user. A dashboard curates data, but it still needs to be interpreted by 欧博娱乐 user, and 欧博娱乐 curation may or may not be correct. Data resonates more when it’s presented with insights and story. Users have a question, and 欧博娱乐y want an answer. If users could simply ask 欧博娱乐ir question and have AI provide an answer, that would be a far preferable experience—for example, if veterans could simply ask about and see 欧博娱乐 status of a particular disability, or if a business leader could ask about 欧博娱乐 impact of a new training program.
GenAI has 欧博娱乐 power to make this happen. Tools are now coming to market designed to provide secure, custom answers to data-driven questions within an organization.
Making your data projects more human-centered is a multi-faceted undertaking that’s well worth 欧博娱乐 time, but can be daunting. Thankfully, you don’t need to do it alone: An experienced partner can make 欧博娱乐 process more efficient and technology-forward, saving you time and cost while helping you make full use of your data. In 欧博娱乐 end, you’ll soon see your users—whe欧博娱乐r 欧博娱乐y’re internal or external—benefit from your new approach.
