Design Playbook (Tools & Practices)

 

Empathy Maps: Capture what people say, think, feel, and do.

User Shadowing: Spend time in the environments where people live or work.

Persona Creation: Build composite characters based on real stories to keep human needs visible.

Journey Mapping: Trace the full arc of a person’s experience, from frustrations to delights.

Storytelling: Use real human stories to anchor design discussions.

 

Mindset (Reflection & Journaling)

 

Do I begin with systems, or with people?

Who is impacted by my decisions that I may not be considering?

Am I treating people as whole beings, or as data points?

 

Provocation:

“Human-centric design is not about creating for people, but creating with people.”

 

Facilitation Principle

 

As a facilitator, your role is to humanise the room. Remind participants that behind every number is a story, behind every “user” is a person. Create spaces where participants connect not only to ideas but to the humanity of those affected.

Facilitator’s Mantra: “Every process begins and ends with people.”

 

Facilitation Toolkit (Methods & Activities)

 

Story Circles: Invite participants to share lived experiences before moving into problem-solving.

Empathy Walks: Pair participants to interview or observe people in real contexts.

Persona Building Workshop: Create rich, multi-dimensional personas together.

Role-Play Scenarios: Step into the shoes of a stakeholder to explore their reality.