Last updated on Nov 30, 2024

How do you integrate human-centered design and participatory methods in FEED?

Front End Engineering Design (FEED) is a crucial phase in any engineering project, where the technical, economic, and social aspects of the proposed solution are defined and evaluated. However, FEED often overlooks the needs, preferences, and expectations of the end users and other stakeholders, leading to suboptimal outcomes and costly changes later on. How do you integrate human-centered design and participatory methods in FEED to ensure that your solution is relevant, desirable, and sustainable for the people who will use it and benefit from it?

1 Human-centered design principles

Human-centered design (HCD) is an approach that puts the human perspective at the center of the problem-solving process. It involves understanding the context, needs, and goals of the users and stakeholders, generating and testing ideas that address them, and iterating and improving the solution based on feedback and evaluation. HCD principles can guide FEED by ensuring that the technical specifications are aligned with the user requirements, that the solution is feasible and viable, and that the risks and impacts are minimized and mitigated.

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Rafi Soule, PMP, CSM, ITIL
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• Get users and stakeholders involved from the beginning of the FEED process. • Conduct user research to gain insight into their needs/requirements and context. • Use journey mapping to identify key moments and decision points. • Conduct co-creation sessions to collaboratively develop solutions. • Workshops for collaborative ideation and problem-solving • Testing and refining concepts through prototyping sessions • Develop solutions by conducting numerous iterations. • Communicate clearly and address concerns transparently.

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Rohit Rai

Frontend Engineer @Designo Graphy
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Human-centered design (HCD) focuses on user needs, aligning technical specs with real-world requirements. Participatory methods like workshops and feedback sessions ensure stakeholder engagement. Together, they enhance usability, reduce risks, and create sustainable solutions.

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2 Participatory methods and tools

Participatory methods and tools are techniques that involve the active engagement and collaboration of the users and stakeholders in the design process. They can range from surveys and interviews to workshops and prototyping, depending on the purpose, scope, and stage of the project. Participatory methods and tools can enhance FEED by providing valuable insights, feedback, and validation from the people who matter most, as well as fostering trust, ownership, and empowerment among them.

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Rohit Rai

Frontend Engineer @Designo Graphy
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### Human-Centered Design and Participatory Methods in FEED 1. **Human-Centered Design (HCD):** Prioritize user needs by aligning technical specifications with real-world contexts. Iterate solutions based on user feedback to minimize risks and enhance feasibility. 2. **Participatory Methods:** Actively involve stakeholders through surveys, workshops, co-creation sessions, and prototyping to gather insights and foster trust and ownership. 3. **Best Practices:** Start early, map user journeys, iterate designs, and maintain transparent communication to ensure alignment and user satisfaction.

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3 Benefits of integrating HCD and participatory methods in FEED

Integrating HCD and participatory methods in FEED can bring multiple benefits for the project and its outcomes, such as improved user satisfaction and acceptance, increased social impact and sustainability, reduced costs and risks, and enhanced innovation and creativity. By designing a solution that meets user needs and expectations, you can increase the likelihood of adoption and usage, as well as reduce the need for revisions. Additionally, considering the social, environmental, and ethical implications of the solution ensures that it contributes to positive change. Involving users and stakeholders early and often can help to avoid costly mistakes, misunderstandings, or conflicts. Exploring multiple perspectives also allows for more diverse and novel solutions that can address complex and dynamic challenges.

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Rohit Rai

Frontend Engineer @Designo Graphy
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1. **Human-Centered Design (HCD):** Align technical solutions with user needs and real-world contexts. Use iterative feedback to enhance feasibility and minimize risks. 2. **Participatory Methods:** Engage stakeholders through surveys, workshops, and prototyping to build trust, gather insights, and foster ownership. 3. **Benefits:** Boost user satisfaction, reduce risks, and encourage innovation by addressing user expectations and ensuring sustainability early on. 4. **Best Practices:** Start with user research, map journeys, iterate designs, and maintain transparent communication for better outcomes. By integrating HCD and participatory methods, FEED projects achieve solutions that are impactful, efficient, and user-focused.

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4 Challenges and best practices of integrating HCD and participatory methods in FEED

Integrating HCD and participatory methods in FEED can be difficult due to time and resource constraints, cultural and contextual differences, and technical and ethical issues. To overcome these challenges, it is important to plan ahead and prioritize, adapt and customize methods and tools according to the feedback of participants, and collaborate and communicate closely with users and stakeholders. Allocating sufficient time and resources for the user and stakeholder engagement, focusing on essential insights, using appropriate methods, keeping participants informed, involved, consulted, communicating clearly, and acknowledging any concerns are all essential best practices.

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5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you integrate human-centered design and participatory methods in FEED?

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1 Human-centered design principles

2 Participatory methods and tools

3 Benefits of integrating HCD and participatory methods in FEED

4 Challenges and best practices of integrating HCD and participatory methods in FEED

5 Here’s what else to consider

Front End Engineering Design (FEED)

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