Research Operations: Approaches to Recruitment and Knowledge Management 

Research is the cornerstone to human-centered design process and understanding user and customer needs that builds solutions, strategy and results. Yet, we are challenged in multiple ways in how to conduct, share insights and build knowledge, while navigating sensitive records management (PII) and organizational challenges. 

This month’s Community of Practice will include a diverse and rich community panel of researchers, digital experts, and HCD leaders discussing and debating research operations moderated by Rob Fay, HCD Center of Excellence Lead. The panel will discuss and share knowledge, paths to success, contribute advice and provide contextual experiences. You will learn about approaching, conducting, recruiting, using methods and building organizational research for strong knowledge management. This session is highly suitable for working practitioners, team leaders and leadership. 

Topics may include: 

• Recruiting,  
• Records management (including PII),  
• Paperwork Reduction Act,
• Knowledge management (synthesis, collaboration, findings), 
• Research tools, and  
• Ways CMS can better support research operations.

The panel includes:

Rob Fay (Moderator) - HCD Center of Excellence Lead, Center for Clinical Standards & Quality at CMS 

Rob works for Tantus Technologies, supporting their Portfolio, Program, and Project Management (PM3) contract with CCSQ's Information Systems Group (ISG). In this role, he leads CCSQ's HCD Center of Excellence, partnering with stakeholders throughout the enterprise to ensure that CMS products, services, and even policies reflect the voice of the customer. 

Pam Drouin - UX Research Lead, Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (MACFin) at CMS 

Pam is a UX Research Lead with the Medicaid and CHIP Financial (MACFin) team, which is the financial reporting system that executes quarterly budgeting and expenditures processes. Pam works for A1M Solutions, a small, woman-owned company that supports the entire government program ecosystem, promoting better health outcomes for all. She collaborates on a shared research repository as part of the MACBIS HCD CoP ResearchOps. Pam's background is in UX design, while her prior career was in library and information science. 

Kevin Hoffman - Director of Design, Office of the CTO at VA 

Kevin is the Director of Design for the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the CTO, managing VA.gov and leading the Veteran account experience, which helps millions of Veterans of the US Armed Forces get the benefits they’ve earned. Previously, he was the Vice President of Design at Capital One, and the founder of a design consultancy, Seven Heads Design. He is the author of the Rosenfeld Media book Meeting Design for Makers, Managers and Everyone, and regularly teaches workshops and speaks to teams about improving meetings in their work. 

Kimberly Hyde - Senior UX Researcher, Center for Clinical Standards & Quality (iQIES) at CMS 

Kim is a Senior UX Researcher with the iQIES program; supporting the collection and management of healthcare provider survey data. She is particularly passionate about advocating for those whose voices are often left out of the software development process and disseminating knowledge of HCD concepts beyond the borders of the UX team. Outside of work, Kim is an avid traveler, architecture nerd, and mother to (almost) 3 young children. 

Antwyn Jackson - HCD/UX Designer, Center for Clinical Standards & Quality (HIDS) at CMS 

Antwyn is an experienced HCD Analyst and UX Designer that has had the opportunity to work for both private and public companies.  His mix of experience has given him great insight into research, strategy, and design philosophies. 

Kiel McLaughlin - Senior UX Design Researcher, Center for Clinical Standards & Quality (QPP) at CMS 

Kiel is a Senior UX Design Researcher with Agile Six and has supported the Quality Payment Program (QPP) since 2019. Kiel has worked in Civic Tech since 2015 and graduated from the University of Baltimore Interaction Design & Information Architecture program. 

Mathais Rechtzigel - Design Technologist, Office of the Administrator, Digital Services at CMS 

Mathias Rechtzigel is a Design Technologist and Educator based in Minnesota at the Digital Service at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Mathias’s background at the intersection of design, technology, and education, has influenced projects across the Treasury Department, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Federal Reserve, and CMS. 

The presentation slides and recording will be available following the session on Confluence. 

***

When: Thursday, March 30, 1 PM ET

Where: Zoom, meeting ID 825 1230 8285, pass 240154

A Coffee Conversation: Addressing Disability with Healthcare Disparities and Equity

This month’s Community of Practice coffee conversation and round table, will include a range of captivating thought leaders who will discuss and reflect upon improving healthcare disparities by the disabled and improving their equity through a person-centered approach.

Topics include:

• Blue Print at National Council on Disability
• Cultural competence
• Disparities
• Inclusion and Usability
• Person-centered care and services

The round table members, many of who have “lived experience” as people with disabilities, will include:

Moderator and Thought Leader: Gary C. Norman, Esq. L.L.M.

Mr. Norman is a resolute public servant gifted with the ability to bring people of unrelated interests together. He is a valued leader, manager, collaborator, and team member in any setting, who actively engages with, leads, even envisions trending, prevailing public policy issues. He particularly cares as to elevate the policy voice and leadership by people with disabilities.

Mr. Norman started his public service career as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2000 with the federal government after graduating from Wright State University and Cleveland State University. He has the unique brand of serving on the public square with a special sidekick, guide dog Bowie. In 2022, he completed two Fellowships: One at the Wilson Center for federal executives to learn as to Artificial Intelligence; One within the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to pipeline diverse potential managers. He serves on the Board of the Presidential Management Alumni Association.

In 2021, the Baltimore Business Journal recognized Mr. Norman as a Leader in Diversity. He has long shared the disability experience – its benefits and challenges – in a society not yet as accessible as it should be for service animal teams. He consistently reminds colleagues that, while not perfect, this republic has achieved great progress in living to its tenants. He is known for his semi-regular salons in which he brokers thought leaders, including, the disabled and the able, having mentored a range of law students with disabilities.

In 2020, Mr. Norman received the Administrator’s Award at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for his work on healthcare accessibility and quality policy related to people with disabilities. In 2011, Mr. Norman obtained his Masters in Letters of Law at Washington College of Law. Where, as a Law and Government Scholar, he focused on the intersection among bioethics, civil rights, and regulatory policy.

Mr. Norman serves as Co-chair of the Board of Advisors at the Pieces of Me Foundation. Mr. Norman served as Chair of the Board of Commissioners at the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights from 2018 to 2021, co-leading the Agency to a new three-year strategic plan. He also formally served on the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission as one of his concurrent roles as Chair.

Service to the Profession: In 2021, Chief Judge Barbarra appointed Mr. Norman to serve on the appeals committee of the Maryland Court of Appeals related to requests for reasonable accommodations to the Maryland Bar Exam. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Maryland State Bar Association. Mr. Norman is a Fellow of the Maryland Bar Foundation. Mr. Norman has served on, and serves on, the Board for the Leadership Academy of the Maryland State Bar Association.

Consensus-Builder: In November 2019, he served as a Fellow at the invite-only Public Policy Conflict Resolution Fellowship. A program for high-level leaders convened under the auspices of the Md. Judiciary. At the Maryland Lynching Truth & Reconciliation Commission, he collaborated with his colleagues to broker various long-term relationships and special projects, including, a series of restorative justice trainings. In 2015, he served as a Visiting Fellow at the non-partisan Robert J. Dole Institute for Politics. He established a multi-year non-partisan symposium on animal law and policy brokering regional or even national experts together.

He is the past chief partnerships facilitator and Co-Executive Editor of The Mid-Atlantic Journal on Law and Public Policy: Animal and Disability Reporter. A non-partisan, law and public policy journal on animal and disability issues that he co-founded. He has a column in the Maryland Daily Record focusing on his adventures to influence policy as a lawyer with a guide dog. Additionally, he is a feature contributing author at GovLoop.

On a personal side, Mr. Norman enjoys reading and libraries, enjoys the theatre; as well as sharing time reading his books whilst drinking coffee. He is a shareholder member at the historic library Company of Philadelphia. His dog or dogs are usually near-by chewing on a bone or playing with toys.

Thought Leader: Daniel Hodges, J.D. Co-founder, C.E.O. and President of the Pieces of Me Foundation

Mr. Hodges is a coach, a consultant, and a public policy thought leader, who works at the intersection of disabilities, healthcare equity, and societal inclusion. He obtained his law degree at the University of Baltimore School of Law. He is a person who has multiple disabilities, thusly knowing the benefits and challenges of how a society identifies and accepts disability. 

Thought Leader: Daniel S. Davis, Policy Analyst, HHS

Daniel Davis serves as a Policy Analyst with the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Community Living’s Center for Policy Evaluation, Office of Policy Analysis and Development. As a person with an invisible disability committed to the full inclusion of people with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups in the realization of their American dream, Daniel has worked on policy and legislation impacting the lives of people with disabilities for nearly 20 years. 

The presentation slides and recording will be available following the session on Confluence. 

***

When: Thursday, October 27, 1 PM ET

Where: Zoom, meeting ID 813 1725 3712, pass 050855

Measuring Customer Satisfaction: Case Studies from Hospital Quality Reporting Program (HQR) and Quality Payment Program (QPP) 

This month's Community of Practice event, we’ll hear case studies from HQR and QPP to learn how they’ve implemented customer satisfaction surveys into their HCD practice. These surveys provide a continuous feedback mechanism for customers to express actionable praise and critique of CCSQ products and services. Join us to learn about aspects of customer satisfaction research at CCSQ, such as: 

• Securing PRA coverage 
• Survey tools used on these projects 
• Writing customer satisfaction survey questions 
• Leveraging site intercept survey technology 
• How the HCD Center of Excellence can support your team’s customer satisfaction research 

The discussion will be led by HQR presenter, Lesley Humphreys, of Bellese Technologies, QPP presenter, Kiel McLaughlin, of Agile Six Applications, Inc. and Leann Down, of Huge, Inc.   

Lesley Humphreys - Human-Centered Design Lead, Bellese Technologies 
Lesley has been working in information design for 15 years, and during that time, she has been fortunate to contribute to a diverse array of government projects, including a re-architecture of the US Forest Service and U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service (USCIS) websites, the design of a new end-to-end patent review application for the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the ESRD Quality Reporting Systems (EQRS), the Medicare Payment System Modernization Program (MPSM), and currently, Hospital Quality Reporting (HQR). She is a founder of the Baltimore UX Meetup and has a User Experience Managers' Certification from the Nielsen Norman Group

Kiel McLaughlin, Research Lead - QPP Human-Centered Design, Agile Six Applications, Inc. 
Kiel is the Research Lead with the Quality Payment Program HCD team (QPP), since 2019. He has been an HCD/UX Researcher/Designer for 6 years in the government space.  Kiel graduated from the Interaction Design & Information Architecture program at University of Baltimore. Kiel lives in Baltimore, has two cats, and a 6-month-old son. 

Leann Down, MPP, MSW - Senior Researcher, Huge, Inc.

Leann is an applied mixed-methods researcher, bringing an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the ways people engage with content, products, and technologies. Prior to joining Huge, Inc. and the Agile 6 team, Leann worked as an evaluation consultant to develop, design, evaluate, and implement new communications and sociotechnologies within nonprofit and US federal agencies, including NIST, NSF, and DOD. She holds masters degrees in public policy and social work from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 

The presentation slides and recording will be available following the session on Confluence. 

***

When: Thursday, September 29, 1 PM ET

Where: Zoom, meeting ID 813 1725 3712, pass 050855

Calm Technology

This month’s Community of Practice will focus on Calm technology. Calm technology describes a state of technological maturity where a user’s primary task is not computing, but being human. The idea behind Calm Technology is to have smarter people, not things. Technology shouldn’t require all of our attention, just some of it, and only when necessary.

The terms calm computing and calm technology were coined in 1995 by PARC Researchers Mark Weiser and John Seely Brown in reaction to the increasing complexities that information technologies were creating.

This talk explores the concept of calm technology, a method for smoothly capturing a user’s attention only when necessary, while calmly remaining in the background most of the time.

• How can we design technologies that become part of a life and not a distraction from it?
• Technologies that respect human time instead of deterring from it? 

Amber Case studies the interaction between humans and computers and how our relationship with information is changing the way cultures think, act, and understand their worlds.

• Internationally recognized design advocate and speaker and the author of four books, including Calm Technology and A Kids Book About Technology.
• Fellow at MIT’s Center for Civic Media and Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society.
• Her TED Talk, We Are All Cyborgs Now has over 2 million views.
• Named one of Inc. Magazine’s 30 under 30 and Fast Company’s Most Influential Women in Technology.
• Named a National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2012.
• Received the Claude Shannon Innovation Award from Bell Labs.
• Co-founder and CEO of Geoloqi, a location-based software company acquired by Esri.
• Co-founder of EverCharge, acquired SK E&S in 2022. 

Case currently works on next generational governance tools at DAO. You can follow her work on Medium: https://medium.com/@caseorganic and Twitter: https://twitter.com/caseorganic.

The presentation slides and recording will be available following the session on Confluence. 

***

When: Thursday, August 25, 1 PM ET

Where: Zoom, meeting ID 813 1725 3712, pass 050855

WEB3.0 Is It Over? 

This month’s Community of Practice will focus on web3 and feature a debate on the promises of web3.  Will it revolutionize the web? Is Bitcoin the best use case for blockchain technology? Or is it merely a niche feature for rich people who want to pay millions for digital assets?

Join us on Thursday, July 28, for WEB3.0 Is It Over? Moderated by Content Director Stephanie Warren from Somo Global, a digital product agency, this debate promises to help you understand why some say it could revolutionize the web.  And why others disagree.

Through this debate you will learn: 

• The key components of web3
• The Barriers to mass adoption
• The implications for health care

Since her early days at America Online, Stephanie has always had a passion for the user experience. As a pioneer in eCommerce, she learned quickly how users adapt to new tech and leverage it to better their lives - when they see a benefit. She currently directs all content efforts at Somo and is convinced the next big this is just around the corner.

The presentation slides and recording will be available following the session on Confluence. 

***

When: Thursday, July 28, 1 PM ET

Where: Zoom, meeting ID 813 1725 3712, pass 050855

CMS DESIGN SYSTEM: PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE 

This month’s Community of Practice will dive into the CMS Design System. We will discuss how the design system has evolved to meet the needs of CMS, the design system as of three years ago and the updates made; along with challenges up to today and plans for the future. Scott’s presentation is a companion piece to his article in the most recent edition of the embedded Newsletter, Maturing the CMS Design System.     

Scott will present: 

• What a design system is
• Why a design system is important
• How to get involved with the design system
• And more!

Since 2004, Scott Weber has focused on improving online experiences for US citizens through the lens of design systems, front-end user experience, web standards, and accessibility.

Currently, he works for Ad Hoc as a Managing Senior UX Designer 2 : Front-end Specialist and serves as the design lead for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services design system. He has worked with various federal, state, and local governments. In addition to CMS his work includes, National Science Foundation (NSF), the Thrift Savings Program (TSP), and Kentucky.gov. He is an alum of both 18F and NIC Inc. and brings a passion for web standards, human-centered design, and research.  

The presentation slides and recording will be available following the session on Confluence. 

***

When: Thursday, June 30, 1 PM ET

Where: Zoom, meeting ID 813 1725 3712, pass 050855

HCD as a Verb and Behavior 

Are you culturally ready for HCD? Our guest presenter will provide an insightful discourse on how to rethink and engage HCD as a verb and mindset of behaviors. The session will address how a defined and accessible HCD system:

• Delineates given and successful mindsets, personalities, and rational thinking;
• and the tools necessary to propel value-driven HCD.

Our guest presenter, Howard Montgomery, is a practicing agnostic Human-Centered Design Thinking expert who thrives across the consumer experience continuum of products, services, digital, brand, strategy, and environments. He has led, collaborated and consulted with multiple Fortune 100 companies: Ford Motor, Unilever, BMW, The Home Depot, Steelcase, P&G and LG Electronics across diverse business sectors; building products, automotive, consumer, food and healthcare. He holds 48 International Patents and has been the recipient of over 25 international awards including IDEA Awards, iF Award and Good Design Award, and multiple publications of his work. He has taught at several schools in the USA and UK. He holds a bachelor’s degree with honors from Kingston University, London, UK and master’s degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, USA, both in Design.

The presentation slides and recording will be available following the session on Confluence. 

***

When: Thursday, May 26, 1 PM ET

Where: Zoom, meeting ID 813 1725 3712, pass 050855

Brainstorming: How to Create More Ideas and Better Ideas.

A brainstorming session likely comes to mind when tasked with generating ideas to solve a problem or dream up an innovative solution. But does it work?

Quick answer: Yes. But if facilitated poorly or approached with a rigid perspective, it may lead to groupthink or an environment where good ideas go to die—the opposite of what you set out to accomplish.

Whether facilitating or participating in a brainstorming session, you will succeed by adhering to best practices and approaching the process with a creative mindset. So, what does success look like? More and better ideas!

The session will include:

• How to protect and nurture ideas
• Brainstorming best practices
• Virtual brainstorming techniques

Our guest presenter is Senior Design Strategist Scott Reed with the HCD Center of Excellence and adjunct faculty at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). Scott has an MBA in Strategic Design and completed post-graduate work at Austin Center for Design.

The presentation slides and recording will be available following the session on Confluence. 

***

When: Thursday, April 28, 1 PM ET

Where: Zoom, meeting ID 813 1725 3712, pass 050855

Improving customer experience (CX) has been a longtime government initiative. Whether seeking Social Security, Medicare benefits, or other services, Americans expect services to be efficient, intuitive, and responsive to their needs, just like services from leading private-sector organizations. In late 2021 President Biden signed an executive order designed to elevate CX on the same level as financial and operational performance. However, improving CX is not simple, and there are many nuances to consider.

Join the CCSQ HCD Community of Practice Thursday, February 24, for Customer Experience: A Fireside Chat with Stephanie Thum, CCXP. Stephanie is a sought-after expert on customer experience topics—particularly in the government space. Stephanie will join Rob Fay, HCD Strategy Lead with Tantus Technologies, for a conversation about:

• A historical lens for CX and government
• Influencers and drivers of CX
• The intersection of user experience (UX) and CX
• The unique role and opportunity for human-centered design
• And more!

Stephanie Thum is a Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) and founder of Practical CX. She served as one of the U.S. federal government’s first agency-level customer experience leaders at the Export-Import Bank of the United States from 2012-2016. Stephanie is a frequent podcast guest, webinar presenter, expert source often quoted in the trade press around White House CX policies and published in scholarly circles. She has written and spoken extensively on customer experience strategy, global voice of the customer techniques, metrics, communication, and customer experience governance in multiple sectors.

Stephanie currently works with government agencies, B2B firms, technology companies, and marketing firms. She also serves as the series editor for a collection of scholarly case studies for SAGE Publishing. 

Register today to join the discussion and collaborate with a community of professionals.

We are looking for speakers, contributors for panel discussions, and facilitators who can share their experiences and perspectives with human-centered design, product development, and other relevant topics with the CCSQ HCD Community of Practice.

Call for Speakers Submission Form.

The community of practice is a unique opportunity to share your perspective and expand thought leadership and visibility. If selected to speak, you will have a diverse audience of professionals from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and federal contractors across the product development ecosystem.  

Generally, we meet virtually on Zoom on the last Friday of each month at 1 PM ET. The one-hour sessions involve designers and researchers, engineers, product managers, and anyone passionate about human-centered design. Speakers share insights in various formats, such as presentations, case studies, panel discussions, and mini-workshops. 

Speakers include product team members and guest speakers. Recent sessions include The Content Audit: Agony and Ecstasy (presentation), Service Design for Hospital Quality Reporting: Service Blueprint and Journey Maps (case study), Driving Creativity and Improving Customer Experience with Empathy (panel discussion), and Creative Facilitation: Increase Collaboration, Productivity, and Innovation (mini-workshop).

The call for speakers will close on Friday, January 14. We will review the submissions and be in touch with everyone who submits by Friday, January 28.  

Thank you in advance for your interest in contributing to the CCSQ HCD Community of Practice. If you have any questions, please contact us at hcd@hcqis.org.

Call for Speakers Submission Form.

Ethnographic methods that center systems thinking, how knowledge is constructed, and how knowledge is shared among communities are best for developing collective digital products like Application Programming Interfaces, known as APIs.

On Friday, December 17, at 1 PM ET, join the CCSQ HCD Community of Practice to explore APIs and human-centered design. Our guest presenters are Maria Vidart-Delgado, Senior UX Researcher, and John French, Senior UX Designer & Front-End Specialist with Ad Hoc LLC.

During the session, we will explore:

• APIs as digital products that are built, maintained and consumed collectively.
• The use of ethnography as a practical approach to researching the communities that use APIs and their end-products, understanding their information needs, and how they use an API.
• Designing API functionality to answer end-user information needs, real-life questions, and easy-to-understand information architecture and documentation.

In this talk, the guest speakers will discuss Ad Hoc's approach to researching APIs by sharing their work with CMS Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) APIs and how qualitative research contributes to usable APIs. In addition, the presentation will include applying ethnographic methods to study end-users and communities of practice to design API functionality, architecture, documentation, and support. Finally, as a case study, they will demonstrate how ethnographic methods are highly effective in the context of APIs because these methods focus on understanding collectives and how they share information and knowledge.

Register today to join the discussion and to collaborate with a community of professionals.

We hope you were able to join us for CCSQ’s 3rd Annual World Usability Day last week! Session recordings and presentation slides are now available for viewing on the event site in case you missed a session, or just want to watch it again.

Sessions Included:

• Navigating the Complexity of Trust with Carol J. Smith from Carnegie Mellon University 
• Customer Engagements Using Human-Centered Design with Morgan Taylor from CMS
• Accessible Insights: Democratizing User Research with Jira and Confluence with Lesley Humphreys from Bellese Technologies and Fan Huang from Ad Hoc, LLC 
• In What We Trust? With Cupid Chan from Pistevo Decision  
• Eroding and Rebuilding Trust: What We Can Learn from Dark Patterns and Selfish Design moderated by Rob Fay from Tantus Technologies with panelists Kati Driscoll from Bellese Technologies, Chelsea Hunt from Tantus Technologies, Danita Patel from Ventech Solutions, and Antoine RJ Wright from Avanceé 
• Losing Patients: Trust, Compliance, and the Patient Journey with Hunter Whitney from eSimplicity and Mehlika Toy, Ph.D. from Stanford University 
• Your Chart is a Bigot: Ethical Data Visualization in Public Health with Edward O’Connor from ManTech International 
• Content Strategy: Building Trust Through Thoughtful Communication with Julie Stromberg from Fearless

Thank you again for celebrating World Usability Day with us! 

Join the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality (CCSQ), a component within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), as we celebrate technology that works to harness human potential and make our lives easier with our 3rd Annual World Usability Day on November 10, 2021. World Usability Day is a day of events worldwide that brings together communities of professionals to focus on a common objective: to ensure that technology helps people live to their full potential.

The Information Systems Group (ISG), a part of CCSQ, will host a virtual event to explore this year's theme: Design of Our Online World: Trust, Ethics, and Integrity. With this theme, we seek to examine online products and design systems that are helping us to stay connected, learn, and grow in these transformational times. We also aim to address critical issues such as designing for trust, diversity, equity, and inclusion, dark patterns, and ethical design.

CCSQ's event will take place on Zoom from 8:30 AM ET – 4 PM ET with an open-house style format. The event will include presentations, case studies, a panel, and more with design and technology professionals. 

Guest speakers include: 

• Carol J. Smith from Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute, AI Division 
• Mehlika Toy, Ph.D. from Stanford University, School of Medicine 
• Hunter Whitney from eSimplicity 
• Cupid Chan from Pistevo Decision 
• Suzanne Martin-Devroye from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 
• And more!

Topics will include: 

• Defining and measuring trust as a UX practitioner, 
• Democratizing user research, 
• How empathy-driven design can help build trust,  
• Ethical data visualization in public health,  
• And more! 

Learn more and register now.

Developing empathy is often one of the first steps in the design process and can continue to evolve throughout the HCD lifecycle. Empathy is to see the world through another’s eyes. In design terms, that can mean working to understand and discover the needs of people so the designers can design solutions for them. Yet, when dealing with data and the rigor of product development, it can be easy to forget that we are designing for people.

On Friday, August 27, the HCD Community of Practice hosted a panel discussion to explore empathy and product development. Why is empathy a potent tool for developing products and services? How might we leverage empathy to drive creativity and improve customer experience?

View session recording 

Senior Design Strategist Brian Flaherty from Tantus Technologies and PM3 moderated a discussion with:

• HCD Research & Design Lead and Product Strategist Bob Bethanis from Bellese and QMARS
• Experience Designer and Researcher Justin Garcia with Ventech Solutions and SNOW
• Human Centered Design Analyst Arthur Green with Ventech Solutions and SNOW
• Design Researcher Meghan Nichols from Ventera and ESS
• Experience Research Lead Kim Schulke from Flexion and EQRS

The panel explored a variety of themes, such as:

• The role of empathy in product development and customer experience,
• Developing shared empathy across a team, and
• Moving beyond checking a box to using empathy to drive creativity.

View session recording