Human-Centered Design

A design approach that prioritizes the needs, capabilities, and experiences of end users throughout the design process. Popularized by IDEO and formalized in ISO 9241-210, human-centered design involves iterative cycles of understanding user context, specifying requirements, generating design solutions, and evaluating against user needs. In accessibility work, HCD emphasizes involving people with disabilities as active participants and co-designers rather than passive test subjects, ensuring that solutions reflect lived experience and real-world needs.