Applying Human-Centered Design to Human Services: Pilot Study Findings

Human-Centered Design (HCD) is way of developing solutions to service delivery challenges with the end-user in mind. The Administration for Children and Families recently studies the application of HCD principles to its human services programs. The Washington State Division of Child Support was one of three pilot sites. Washington wanted to apply HCD to improve its modification request process. Key findings from the pilot study included: HCD can be evaluated in a human services program; with training and coaching, HCD-informed programs can be implemented to address a variety of issues; design team members displayed an HCD mindset early in the process; the teams showed their mindset through the strategies they chose to implement and their plan to sustain the strategies; and HCD was useful to address the chosen challenges.