Our Process

We use human-centered design, a method that employs ethnographic research methods to study problems from the perspective of the users. The results yield a more in-depth understanding of the systems challenges than could be understood through traditional surveys, interviews and focus groups. Using this thorough understanding of the user's challenges, we then synthesize our findings, identify opportunity areas, and rapidly prototype to test interventions in a low-risk, low-cost, low-resource way. Prototypes are implemented in real-time with rapid-cycle testing, evaluation and refinement to get to better faster. We further study this process with rigorous quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods.

 

The Better Lab’s HCD process and design research methods used at each stage of a project

 

Methods in our HCD toolkit include:

  • Empathy interviews: 1:1 semi-structured interviews with individuals who are affected by an issue or service of interest to deeply understand their experiences and bring their needs to the surface

  • Expert interviews: 1:1 semi-structured interviews with individuals who have expertise in a certain area (including lived experience experts) to learn more about that domain

  • Co-design workshops: co-design brings patients, providers, and other stakeholders together to brainstorm solutions and mock up new products, programs, and policies

  • Low- and high-fidelity prototyping: iteratively testing and improving an early version of a solution with a small group of users in order to get it ready to pilot more broadly

  • Ethnography: a combination of observation, participation, and interviewing to understand what people do and experience within the context of their culture and environment

  • Literature review: a summary of existing knowledge and emerging trends, highlighting gaps for further research and design inquiry

  • Ecosystem mapping: a collaborative exploration of the needs or behaviors we want to support in the target community and all the stakeholders and systems that enable or inhibit those

  • Landscape review: A summary-style review of comparable products and services in the market or interventions in the field that identifies vulnerabilities and opportunities for differentiation

  • Quantitative data collection and analysis: e.g. surveys

  • User testing: testing prototypes with patients/providers to understand what works well and what needs improvement

  • Remote design/prototyping especially in the developing world

  • Designing for and with vulnerable populations: see examples of our work