Citizens First: Modernization With a Human-Centered Design
State and local agencies looking to modernize their services can benefit greatly from the human-centered design methodology.
In the complex and ever-evolving landscape of state and local governments, the need for modernization that addresses the frustrations of citizens is more important than ever. Human-centered design (HCD) is a powerful approach that places the human experience at the forefront of the design process to help guarantee citizen satisfaction.
What Is Human-Centered Design?
HCD is more than just a methodology; it is a thought process that recognizes the diverse and unique perspectives and needs of individuals. HCD is a creative and iterative process that focuses on developing solutions that are not only functional and efficient but also aligned with the users' perspectives and preferences. By empathizing with the people affected by policies, services, products and programs, we can unlock the potential for solutions that are not only effective but also inclusive and user-friendly.
Using Human-Centered Design for State and Local Government
The modernization process can be complex and daunting. Using a human-centered design approach will provide a collaborative and iterative structure for your journey. Having the end user in mind from the beginning will help improve and simplify the process.
Here are three key steps that will help your organization or agency modernize with HCD:
1. Identify the end-user issues that are creating a disconnect with your citizens. Start by identifying what’s not working, what applications are too slow and what functions aren’t performing as they should.
This identification process should involve looking at focus groups, research and an assortment of other methods to discover citizens’ needs. The process can take weeks, but this extensive assessment will help uncover accurate data and create the empathy necessary to find the right path to modernization.
Diagnosing the overall issues will require an extensive look into your IT system and infrastructure. CDW·G has the tools and skilled experts to identify your challenges and provide solutions that build citizen satisfaction into your modernization.
2. Conduct interviews with stakeholders and employees. A holistic brainstorming process can help ensure that your organization understands internal challenges. It’s a good idea to have HCD ideation and design workshops to inform and educate at every level of your organization to help everyone understand the objectives and changes taking place.
3. Create an agile and inclusive strategy. Once you have a complete view of your organization’s challenges and opportunities, you can create a more effective modernization strategy.
You can use an HCD approach to design a strategy focused on identifying problems and testing solutions in the middle of deployment to save time and reduce risk. An agile strategy based on your research can guarantee a more seamless integration and higher user satisfaction when investing in new or existing applications.
A human-centered design focus of your modernization process can provide your citizens with the service experience they have come to expect.
What Can CDW Government Do for You During Your Modernization Journey?
Our experts have worked extensively with the human-centered design methodology. CDW·G understands the unique qualities of each project and leverages a foundational and time-tested kit of over 60 HCD methods. This expansive set of exercises and activities forms the basis for shaping our HCD approach. Throughout the process, we repeatedly measure user satisfaction to ensure our dynamic and adaptive approach stays aligned with evolving needs and user expectations. No matter where your modernization journey takes you, we have the expertise to guide you through any problems that come up during the process.
