Why we need human-centred design at the core of every smart home and internet-of-things product
I follow a funny Twitter account called Internet of shit. The account is basically an ongoing list of internet of things products that do not make sense. The bio of the Twitter profile just says “Whatever, put a chip in it”. I enjoy the Twitter account and get a good laugh when they post things like a saltshaker with Bluetooth, a “smart” tray for eggs and a connected toaster.
As much as I enjoy laughing at the posts, the fact that these products exist underlines the need for human-centred design in internet-of-things and smart-home product development. Technological possibilities are often the driver for innovation but we need to keep human-centred design at the core when we start building connected products. Digital possibilities open the door to many new ideas, but we can sometimes get lost in the exciting possibilities. Just because we can put a chip in it, does not mean we have to. New tech is nice but we need to shift the focus to value for humans and how the product and solution fits with a human in everyday life.
In some of the worst cases these connected products that lack a human-centred approach can end up hurting people. Examples are houses that can spy on people and a home feeding system failing to feed the cat or dog home alone.
So why human-centered design?
Human-centered design (HCD) is a design and management framework that develops solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process. Human involvement typically takes place when observing the problem within its context, brainstorming, conceptualizing, developing, and implementing the solution.(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human-centered_design)
The reason we need human-centred design is that the method and mindset of human-centred design strengthens the focus on making a product that creates value for people in real-life situations. The process starts with the people you’re designing for and ends with new solutions that are tailor-made to suit their needs. A good smart-home product should create real-life value and benefits for a human. It is extra critical for products that have a high level of complexity, such as internet-of-things products. We know how to use a toaster, a vacuum cleaner, washing machine etc. But when you add chips, Bluetooth and new digital functions to these products we need to be very aware that it adds complexity. Complexity makes it harder for the user and new functions added to known products need to be thought through. Design is about thinking things through and making a good plan. Adding the human-centred part causes us to ask ourselves “Does this make sense and add value for the user?”
Working with human-centred design requires the right mindset, tools and methods. Here are a couple of useful links if you want to dive deeper into this topic:
