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THE "HUMAN" IN HUMAN-CENTERED, EVIDENCE-BASED DESIGN FOR EDUCATION
By Jonathan Matta, KI
A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. It’s a moment in time that its creator tries to capture as accurately as possible. The problem is that viewers naturally craft a counterfeit. What do I mean by that?
Close your eyes, and imagine a photo of an active learning environment. What do you see? Flexibility? Yes. Digital and analog tools? Maybe. Mechanical tools? Sometimes. Buzz- words on writeable surfaces? You bet! Students are learning, and teachers are teaching. All is right!
Now, look more closely at the photo. Do you really know what’s going on? While the photo tells a story about learn- ing, personal stories are also captured. Somewhere in that photo is the “why” behind the personal interactions and the physical space.
Why is one student seated at a desk using paper and pencil while another is standing at a table, swiping away on an iPad?
You notice groupings of desks, cubbies for storage and chairs stacked in the background. How will the furniture be used to achieve the teacher’s goals?
The personal stories inform the larger picture, but they all too often are lost. The photo becomes one of the thou- sands of images we see daily. Our eyes deceive us, leading to a “me too” moment: “I’ve been there, seen that. I know what’s going on in that learning space, and I want the same thing.”
PHOTO CREDIT PHOTOGRAPHEE.EU
What does human-centered, evidence- based design for schools mean?
This situation demonstrates the importance of human-centered design in education when creating solutions, products and services.
A human-centered design process simply means that we design for the humans who will use the solution. A process developed by Stanford’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, better known as the d.school, it posits that design is not based on our “me too” inclinations or preconceived notions of what makes an effective learning environment. Human-centered design identifies the “why” and establishes the foundation for authentic creation.
The impact of furniture within the classroom
What is “authentic creation”? Innovation and change are driven by understanding how and why people will use a design solution – evidence, if you will. Authentic creation leads to real change much faster than a “me too” strategy. That’s the end game.
A recent study1 examined the impact of furniture on teaching and learning. Nine schools and universities across the country agreed to participate. Through a survey, information
1Ruckus Grant Program, developed and executed by KI in 2017-2018.
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