COMM 375 Human Centered Design I
Human Centered Design (HCD) is a process used to create new and collaborative solutions to complex humanitarian, development, and user experience challenges. HCD is used around the world by corporations, institutions, and development organizations to ensure that their work is rooted in the needs of people and sustainable over the long term, and for designers of user experiences who use HCD to create more effective and accessible user interfaces and experiences. HCD practitioners focus on hearing and understanding the needs of constituents and beneficiaries, prioritizing their voices in the development of solutions, and ensuring sustainability through rapid prototyping, iteration, and evaluation. In this course, students will learn how to apply human centered design to complex, seemingly unsolvable problems, and how to apply the principles and processes in their own work contexts.
Prerequisites
2 Undergraduate credits
Effective May 7, 2026 to present
Learning outcomes
General
- Describe the key principles of a human centered design process.
- Explain the steps in conducting human centered design to address a specific need or challenge.
- Analyze complex challenges in their own communities and contexts and determine whether an HCD approach is appropriate.
- Apply human centered design principles and processes to address a development, humanitarian, user experience or other design challenge.
- Utilize appropriate tools to support the HCD process.