Article: Understanding non-designers' practices and processes in a human-centered design course Journal: International Journal of Innovation in Education (IJIIE) 2024 Vol.9 No.5 pp.1 - 27 Abstract: Human-centered design (HCD) has been identified in the literature as a useful problem-solving approach for learners. However, learning and applying HCD poses several challenges for students who are unfamiliar with this form of learning. In this paper, we analyse how a novice design team worked on a HCD class project to examine how non-designers learn about and integrate HCD practices into their project. We introduce the HCD taxonomy to define the processes and practices that students engage in. The team's design work is triangulated across multiple data sources and revealed three challenges for engaging non-designers in HCD: 1) the need for further scaffolding to support connecting practices; 2) complexity engaging in the Understand space to support empathy building and reflection; and 3) navigating tensions between the instructor as a teacher rather than a stakeholder. Our contributions include a taxonomy for teaching HCD containing processes and practices within each space and a case study application. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: Understanding non-designers' practices and processes in a human-centered design course

Authors: LuEttaMae Lawrence; Saadeddine Shehab; Mike Tissenbaum

Addresses: Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences, College of Education and Human Services, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322, USA ' Siebel Center for Design, College of Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois 61820, USA ' Digital Environment for Learning, Teaching, and Agency, College of Education, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois 61820, USA

Abstract: Human-centered design (HCD) has been identified in the literature as a useful problem-solving approach for learners. However, learning and applying HCD poses several challenges for students who are unfamiliar with this form of learning. In this paper, we analyse how a novice design team worked on a HCD class project to examine how non-designers learn about and integrate HCD practices into their project. We introduce the HCD taxonomy to define the processes and practices that students engage in. The team's design work is triangulated across multiple data sources and revealed three challenges for engaging non-designers in HCD: 1) the need for further scaffolding to support connecting practices; 2) complexity engaging in the Understand space to support empathy building and reflection; and 3) navigating tensions between the instructor as a teacher rather than a stakeholder. Our contributions include a taxonomy for teaching HCD containing processes and practices within each space and a case study application.

Keywords: HCD; human-centered design; design education; case study; design taxonomy; interdisciplinary; novice designers.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIIE.2024.138978

International Journal of Innovation in Education, 2024 Vol.9 No.5, pp.1 - 27

Received: 15 Sep 2022
Accepted: 25 Jul 2023
Published online: 05 Jun 2024 *

Title: Understanding non-designers' practices and processes in a human-centered design course

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