Human-Centered Design (HCD)

The document below represents the culmination of several phases of work on an application called WaterGlass. We followed HCD principles to explore the problem space of team collaboration.

Phase 1 and 2: Generative Research
We initially conducted generative research through interviews and then observations with three different work teams. We learned that, despite there being many tools for project planning already in existence, it remained a significant blocker to effective team collaboration. The two areas of project planning that offered the teams the most difficulty were prioritizing which projects to take on and figuring out how to assign the work in an effective way.

Phase 3: Prototype
We then prototyped a tool that would provide support for teams in both of these areas. WaterGlass focused on first measuring team bandwidth (a calculation of available time and skills from each individual and the team as a whole). Bandwidth was then used in combination with a measurement of team interest to determine which projects to take on in which order. After teams prioritized projects to take on, WaterGlass would again use an understanding of available bandwidth to determine the most effective path to completing those projects.

Outcome
While we didn’t move forward with developing Water Glass, we experience a lot of growth through this project. We learned how to more effectively use HCD to approach a problem space and come up with solutions. We also developed a greater understanding of how teams work together and were able to help the teams we collaborated with better understand their difficulties with collaboration. Even without a new tool, they were able to make more analog improvements.