Human-Centered Design Workshops

The 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 (𝐏𝐑𝐨𝐅) teaching case shows how a large healthcare consortium and a small group of manufacturers collaborated to rethink innovation in a highly regulated sector. At its core, the case demonstrates how PRoF turned the interaction between two very different communities into its main innovation engine. The large consortium represents the healthcare user community: nurses, doctors, caregivers, patients, and hospital managers who express the lived reality of care. Their contribution is experiential and value-based. Through structured “brainwave sessions,” they surface latent needs and convert them into broad keywords such as comfort, privacy, dignity, or anti-loneliness. These keywords form a shared language that avoids technical jargon and allows hundreds of users with diverse perspectives to converge around common priorities. The small consortium consists of manufacturers, architects, and designers who have the capabilities to transform these user insights into concrete room concepts. Their commercial goals are kept strictly outside the creative process, allowing trust to grow between the groups. Once the user community defines the keywords, the producer community develops prototypes, after which the large consortium returns to evaluate and refine them. This modular sequencing keeps tensions low, ensures rapid progress, and prevents commercial logic from dominating user needs. The interaction between these two communities solves a longstanding problem in healthcare innovation: suppliers often misunderstand user needs, while users lack the means to innovate. PRoF bridges this gap by letting users drive ideation and letting producers translate that insight into solutions. What emerges is a genuinely user-oriented innovation ecosystem in which neither community could succeed alone, but together they generate concepts that reshape expectations of care design. You can find the case study at HBSP: https://lnkd.in/e6nxTFM7 #UserCentricInnovation #Collaboration #OpenInnovation #CrossCommunityCollaboration #HealthcareEcosystems #CoCreation #Ideation

"The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said." – Peter Drucker After years in this profession, I've developed the ability to quickly assess the mood of my audience—whether they’re enjoying the training, feeling restless, or fully engaged. This skill comes with experience, as over time, we become more adept at reading the subtle cues in body language that reveal the true feelings of those we’re speaking to. Are you able to read the #bodylanguage of the people you're interacting with?🤔 Being a great communicator goes beyond just words—it's about understanding all facets of our interaction with people. One of the most valuable skills in #effectivecommunication is the ability to read #bodylanguage. By paying attention to non-verbal cues, we can gauge the comfort level of the person we’re speaking with and adjust our approach accordingly. A smile, a nod, or even a slight shift in posture can speak volumes. When we understand these signals, we not only create a more comfortable environment but also build deeper connections. Here are a few tips to get better at reading non-verbal cues: ✨Observe #FacialExpressions: Notice micro-expressions like raised eyebrows or a slight frown. These often reveal true emotions that words might not convey. ✨Pay Attention to #Posture: A person’s stance can indicate their level of confidence, openness, or discomfort. ✨Observe #EyeContact: The amount and type of eye contact can reveal interest, trust, or even anxiety. ✨#Listen to #Tone of #Voice: The way words are spoken can change their meaning. A soft tone can show empathy, while a firm one might express confidence. ✨Watch for #Gestures: Hand movements, whether open or closed, can signal whether someone is feeling defensive or engaged By improving our ability to read these #nonverbalcues, we enhance our #communicationskills and develop meaningful interactions. Are there any other tips you would offer for improving the ability to read body language? #CommunicationSkills #BodyLanguage #EffectiveCommunication #Leadership

As CX leaders, solving problems starts with people. Design thinking gives us a clear path. We start by listening to users, defining real needs, and brainstorming ideas. We then build quick prototypes and test them early. Machine learning shifts the focus to data. It breaks issues into smaller parts and finds hidden patterns. We tune models and check how well they predict results. This helps us make smarter decisions fast. Both methods bring value to CX. Design thinking ensures we meet human needs. Machine learning gives us insights we might miss. Using them together unlocks new ways to delight customers. When should you use each? Use design thinking when you need empathy and creative ideas. Use machine learning when you have large data sets and need fast answers. Merging both gives you a balanced, human-led and data-driven CX strategy.

Ever feel stuck trying to pick the "right" design problem to solve? You’re not alone. Most designers rush to solutions before they even know if they’re solving the right thing. Here’s how I find the best design problems- and how you can too: • 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀. Watch how people actually use your product. Don’t just listen to what they say- see what they do. Dive deep into how they do things right now. You’ll spot hidden pain points and strange shortcuts surveys miss. • 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 “𝘄𝗵𝘆”. Don’t settle for the first answer. Dig deeper. The best problems hide beneath surface complaints. Asking “why” helps you identify the real barriers. • 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Write it simply. No jargon, no features. Just what’s broken and for whom. If anyone can understand your problem statement, you’re on the right track. • 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗼𝗳𝗳𝘀. A good design problem isn’t just a bug- it’s a pattern. If the same struggle shows up in different places or users, you’ve found something worth fixing. • 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳. Sometimes the client’s request is just part of the story. Step back. Is there a deeper, bigger problem you can solve? The best designers create solutions people didn’t even know they needed. Solving small, obvious problems is easy. Spotting the invisible problems- the ones that change the whole experience- is what makes you stand out. When you focus on finding the right problems, not just any problem, that’s when you start to create a real impact. Follow for more practical design insights you can use everyday.

Understanding UI/UX at the Core - Series #Day5 Choosing the right solution is about responsibility, not brilliance. 🌻 After ideation, designers are often surrounded by possibilities. - Some ideas feel exciting. - Some look impressive. - Some feel safe to ship. This is the moment where design stops being about creativity alone and starts becoming about judgment. The best solution is rarely the smartest or the most complex one. It’s usually the one that sits closest to the user’s real pain. This is where both qualitative and quantitative insights guide decisions. 💡 Qualitative data helps us understand emotions: confusion, stress, hesitation, trust. 💡 Quantitative data shows patterns: where users struggle, drop off, or slow down. When these two come together, decision-making becomes grounded, not opinion-based. I’ve learned to ask one simple question at this stage: Which solution reduces the most friction for the user with the least effort from them? Keeping the user at the centre changes everything. - You stop asking, “Which idea is more creative?” - You start asking, “Which option genuinely helps?” As designers, we are creative and empathetic by nature and that makes our role a responsibility. The things we design shape how people move through their day, how confident they feel using a product, and how much effort life demands from them. Good design decisions don’t try to impress. They try to respect. When a solution truly understands the user’s context, limitations, and emotions, it doesn’t need justification. It simply feels right. 🚀 Design isn’t about proving intelligence. It’s about quietly making people’s lives a little easier and a little better. 💫 LinkedIn Figma Uxcel topmate.io #uiux #empathy #learn #lessons #uiuxdesign #usercentereddesign #designthinking #uxdecisionmaking #productdesign #uxprinciples #ideation #designercommunity #designeducation #creator #linkedin #post #juniordesingers #job #design

Should you focus on the problem or the user first? Trick question. The right way? Focus on how the user feels about the problem. Because pain is emotional. Solutions are logical. And startups win when they connect both. In the MVP stage, here’s what often goes unnoticed: 1. MVP is not just “Minimum Viable Product.” It should be “Most Valuable Perception.” How does your first impression land in the user’s mind? 2. UX is not screens and buttons. It’s about reducing friction and making people say: “Wow, that was easy.” 3. Brand is not your logo. It’s what users whisper behind your back after using your product. 4. Storytelling is not about features. It’s about showing the before and after of someone’s life because of your product. Show the transformation, not just the tech. So, early-stage founders, remember, - You don’t need to solve everything. - You just need to solve something so clearly, that the user feels, “This was made just for me.”

Something I still hear too often: "Let's ask the user what they want" "Let's ask them if they like this feature" "Let's ask them what our product is missing" Sure you may think its a quick and easy way to understand the users needs, but really, it can lead you away from valid research data. Here's why: 1. Surface desires vs. underlying needs • Users often suggest features based on immediate thoughts without considering their true needs. • Example: More customisation options in a productivity app vs. an intuitive way to organize tasks. 2. Limited perspective • Users usually have a limited view of what's technologically possible. • Example: Small improvements vs. innovative solutions. 3. Solution bias • Asking for features shifts the conversation toward solutions rather than problems. • Example: Detailed maps in a navigation app vs. enhanced route suggestions based on real-time traffic. 4. Innovation constraints • Feature requests can restrict the creativity of your design team. • Example: More filters in a photo-editing app vs. a feature that suggests the best edits. 5. Confirmation bias • Risk of only hearing information that supports your preconceptions. • Example: Positive comments confirming existing beliefs vs. discovering valuable new insights. So let's remember to focus on understanding problems deeply, and solutions will follow naturally. How have you dealt with this question popping up in your organisation? Let me know in the comments below 👇

Want to become a truly strategic UXR? Stop thinking like a researcher. Start thinking like a CEO. Here are 5 strategies that helped me move from tactical to trusted business partner: 1. Influence through foresight, not hindsight. Predict problems before they arise. Conduct pre-mortems to identify challenges early and layer competitive intelligence with user insights to stay ahead of competitors. 2. Quantify your impact in business terms. Tie research to business outcomes. “Streamlining onboarding could save 300 engineering hours, freeing resources for high-priority initiatives.” Build an ROI calculator to make your value undeniable. 3. Think in systems, not projects. Create feedback loops to validate insights regularly. Prioritize research like a portfolio—based on risk, reward, and strategic alignment. This ensures ongoing, scalable impact. 4. Operationalize empathy at scale. Embed user narratives into OKRs and decision-making frameworks. Advocate for user-centric goals and empower teams with tools that guide real-time decisions. 5. Drive the conversation, not just the insights. Strategic UXRs don’t just present findings—they set the agenda. Storytell with data, anticipate objections, and create future scenarios to shape long-term strategies. Good researchers solve immediate problems. Great researchers anticipate what’s next and shape the roadmap. Want to elevate your career? Focus less on what you deliver and more on how it transforms your organization. What strategies have worked for you? Let’s discuss in the comments. PS. Share ♻️ this post to help elevate the role of user researchers everywhere.

A graphic design degree costs £40k and takes 3 years. But you? You're about to get the essentials in under 3 minutes. Because EVERYONE should know how to use design to make their expertise irresistible — whether you're presenting, pitching, or promoting. 👇 But first. The BIG misconception: Most people think visual communication = pictures. Wrong. It’s strategy. It’s how you use: - Layout + structure - Fonts + spacing - Visuals + white space - Content flow 💡 Why it matters: Dual Coding Theory. Allan Paivio (visual communication researcher extraordinaire) says we process info through two systems: both verbal (words) + non-verbal (visuals). We need to use them together for boosting understanding, engagement AND memory. Here’s how to do it like a pro 👇 --- 1️⃣ Visual Hierarchy Everything else serves this one goal: Make sure your audience sees the *right info* in the *right order*. Tips: - Bigger = more important - Closer = related - Structure = use titles, subheads, body - Use white space to reduce cognitive overload - Guide the eye like a story --- 2️⃣ Colour Keep it simple: 🎨 Pick 3: light background, dark text, bright accent ⚖️ Check contrast (aim for 8+): use Adobe Colour Checked to help (https://lnkd.in/eavEBGwD) 🔁 Use consistently Try: Coolors (https://coolors.co) for instant, accessible palettes. --- 3️⃣ Fonts ✔️ Use clean sans serifs (Helvetica, Inter, etc.) OR what is most accessible for your audience. This will be different for neurodivergent people or those with visual impairments. ✔️ Pick one with multiple weights (bold, medium, light). ✔️ Apply consistently for hierarchy Here’s a great resource to help: https://lnkd.in/eJA8NheT --- 4️⃣ Imagery Use visuals *with purpose*. 📸 Every image should enhance understanding, not just decorate 🎨 Stay consistent in style 📋 Attribute if using stock or AI imagery --- That’s your crash course in visual communication. Credibility. Clarity. Clout — without the £40k price tag. What would *you* add to the list? Liked this and want more? Follow me for tips on how to use visual storytelling to collaborate, communicate and change-make 👏