Learning user-centered design from experts at IIT Institute of Design

By Hugh Musick, Associate Dean; Director of Executive Education

IIT Institute of Design

You have an idea, the technological know-how to build it, and the energy and ambition to realize it, but how do you know if people need it? All too often start-ups lead with what they’re convinced are sure-fire ideas. However, after investing significant time and energy into building the product or service and launching it into the marketplace, their efforts are greeted with a big yawn. Why? In the push and the excitement to realize ideas, most start ups fail to consider the user.  So, how might things be different if instead of moving toward implementation, a start up began by understanding the larger context in which they think an opportunity exists? What if the start up began by conducting research that allowed them to observe the daily lives of people, identify problems or challenges they face, and see how existing solutions help or hinder users of those products and services? At a minimum, such research would give the start up a better understanding of the domain in which it’s trying to make a difference. Perhaps more important, findings from this type of activity could inform the start up about the types of solutions that are truly needed. The effort expended up front to learn about users increases the likelihood of creating something that people actually want.

User research is at the heart of designing solutions that resonate with people. On Tuesday, January 8, Tom MacTavish, Assistant Professor at the IIT Institute of Design will present User-centered Design, the third in the 1871-ID series.  Prior to joining ID, Tom directed Motorola Labs’ Center for Human Interaction Research with research laboratories in Phoenix (AZ), Schaumburg (IL), and Shanghai (China). In prior years, he led the Human Interface Technology Center based in Atlanta (GA) for NCR Corporation and served as director of engineering for NCR’s wireless communications and networking engineering group in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

The 1871-ID series presents lectures by faculty of the IIT Institute of Design on user-centered design for startups. IIT Institute of Design is a graduate school of the Illinois Institute of Technology. Learn more about IIT Institute of Design by visiting www.id.iit.edu.