Tool School
ALL THE HELP YOU NEED TO GET YOUR UCD EFFORTS UP AND RUNNING
Let’s not re-invent the wheel. There’s a shitload of resources from around the globe on UCD tools, frameworks, and case studies showing how UCD can lead to results. Check out a few tools here, shared by four global design experts at the event. One tool to design for the future, one to inspire more role play, one to gamify exploration, and one to test ideas early and fast. What do they have in common? They will keep you on your toes.
Speculative design
By: Ayush Chauhan from Quicksand
We’re always thinking about current problems and the most pressing user needs. However Ayush Chauhan, Managing Partner at Quicksand, reminds us to keep a keen eye on the future to create designs that stay relevant for the user needs of tomorrow.
To get started using this tool, click here: Tomorrow Headlines, Time Machine / Reverse Archaeology
Pitch tests
By: Rathi Mani-Kandt from 17 Triggers
Talk less, test more. UCD consultant Rathi Mani-Kandt shows us a way to find out quickly whether or not an idea works, using just paper and a pen.
To get started using this tool, click here: 17 Triggers
Design Game
By: Ronald Lewerissa from FLEX/design
We’ve all seen sticky notes being used for ideation. But have you seen a board game? Ronald Lewerissa, Creative Director at FLEX/design, shares a fun new way to ideate in a group.
To get started using this tool, click here: Design Game
Want more tools?
Here are a few go-to resources at your fingertips:
Articles
- Behaviour Change Strategy Cards
The cards in this deck will help you generate concepts aimed at changing people's behaviors. For both individual and group brainstorming - Designorate - Design Thinking, innovation and user experience
Designorate covers design news and articles related to design management, design thinking, and user experience design - Medium DXD Digital Experience Design
Thoughts, ideas, and visions of experience design fanatics from Hyper Island - Paper Prototyping
Paper prototyping gives you a quick sanity check on design concepts before investing time and money coding it - What is User Centered Design
User experience (UX) topic overview/definition - Why Human-Centered Design Matters
In 1894, W.K. Kellogg made a discovery that would forever change what we eat in the morning
Toolkits and Guides
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- The Business Model Canvas
A global standard used by millions of people in companies of all sizes. Use the canvas to describe, design, challenge, and pivot your business model - The Collective Action Toolkit
The Collective Action Toolkit puts design-thinking tools into the hands of local change agents to transform communities - DIY Development Impact & You
Practical tools to trigger and support social innovation - Human Centered Design Toolkit 2nd Edition
An open-source toolkit to inspire new solutions in the developing world - IDEO Design Kit
Design Kit is a powerhouse resource for human-centered design. These books, guides, and free downloads can help you routinely innovate and solve big problems - Nesta
Find practical tools and resources to spark new ideas and support innovation for whatever you’re working on - Stanford d.school ‘Tools for taking action’
Use these activities, tools, and how-to’s as a starting point — we hope you’ll hack them for whatever challenge you’re working on - Usability.gov Methods
Usability.gov is the one-stop source for user experience best practices and strategies. Check out these tools on improving the user experience - Useful methods, guides and tools for doing human centered design
Resources that help us do human-centred design - User Centered Design Canvas
User Centered Design Canvas (UCDC) is an easy to use and effective UX tool for analyzing, organizing, and facilitating user experience design process
- The Business Model Canvas
Courses
- The Art of Opportunity
The Art of Opportunity is a best selling book on business design thinking for strategic innovation and new growth - The Design Gym
Through workshops, building community, and facilitating collaboration, The Design Gym helps organizations to spark culture change - Human-Centered Design: An Introduction
In this course, you will learn how to design technologies that bring people joy, rather than frustration - Introduction to Human Centered Design
Learn from IDEO.org to use human-centered design for social innovation