Making the human and digital connection

Let’s start off we a couple of questions.

Firstly, what is a digital to human connection? Is it picking up your phone and checking a train time? Is it asking Alexa to remind you of a meeting? Is it putting the washing machine onto a cold rinse?

Secondly, can a ‘connection’ ever be isolated? Aren’t we always on, aren’t we always connected?

Connecting digital and human — it’s a tricky relationship to understand.

Maybe let’s look at this by defining each component.

A human is defined as “a member of the genus Homo — specifically the species Sapiens” and “a person”.

So far so good, tick — that’s me and I would hope, you.

Digital, ahhh a little trickier — it has ten separate definitions (which highlights the complexity of the challenge) but one relatively simple definition is “Involving or relating to the use of computer technology.”

Ok, let’s roll with that.

Connection — “the state of being connected”. Two parts are in a state of connection.

Makes sense.

So, a human and digital connection is; Putting a person and computer technology in the same state.

That could sound very alarming — as if transhumanism and singularity is almost upon us. But looking at that definition of a human and digital relationship it is our focus as a human experience agency is.

Creating a human experience is about making sure that every connection between a person and technology is an equal and supportive connection. Ensuring that the person is at the centre whilst ensuring that the technology understands responds suitably, communicates effectively and meets their human need.

Be this the design and development of a well-being product, the creation of a supportive voice interaction for learning or the specific interactions of an e-commerce website — its about making each connection work.

However large or small, however general or specific — each and every time that a human connects to digital we ensure that it works, that it’s a real shared state connection and that human and tech are as one.

So, yes — it could be finding out a train time, receiving a reminder or using a kitchen appliance.

But although as humans we may always be ‘on’ we may not always be ‘connected’ — and that is the core of our skill at human — when a person wants to connect with your digital product — we make it work for them and you every, single time.