Human-Centered Design in the Field of Technical Communication

Immediately I feel right at home unlike the last seminar reading having taken a class in technical writing and taking courses and classes in HCD, including the one I’m in now.

we explore there turn to human-centered design in research and higher education.

I really don’t think about HCD in research very much; I think about it in a company developing products.

a key point of discussion .. has centered on whether HCD is different from user-centered design.

Not compelling. To me, these frameworks are best understood in terms of what they are not. They are not waterfall systems design, building to spec, etc.

Great quotes in here:

We believe that HCD is … about accounting for and reflecting share human values in the creation of the technologies, artifacts, and systems that humanity shares in the collective pursuit of life. … and, further, it is the perspective in which those who engage in design are tirelessly concerned with such artifacts, handling them and putting them to work to enhance the world they create.

Wow. Love is religion.

HCD arrive at this current focus on human values …

I’ve never thought about HCD as a focus on values, collective human values.

Gasson (2003) notes that HCD takes on a sociotechnical view and balances the requirements of a social system.

I should read this since I’m consider taking on a social technical system report.

design .. to support human fulfillment

but the principles that guide our work are not exhausted wet new have finished our ergonomic, psychological, sociological and anthropological studies of what fits the human body and mind.

Wow. What else is there? HCD lead me to it. I totally thought that’s all there was. Its clear to me now this has nothing to do with technical writing like I suspected it did in the intro.

Human-centered design is fundamentally an affirmation of human dignity. Its is an ongoing search for what can be done to support and strengthen the dignity of human beings as they act out their lives in varied social, economic, political, and cultural circumstances.

I’m amazed.


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