Transforming Higher Education with Human-Centered Design
Eds. Radka Newton, Jean Mutton and Michael Doherty
2024
Taylor & Francis
9781003383161
Review by Quyen Tuong Vu
Transforming Higher Education with Human-Centered Design, edited by Radka Newton, Jean Mutton and Michael Doherty, is a valuable resource that provides a comprehensive view of Human-Centered Design (HCD) in the context of higher education. The book offers a solid theoretical framework to support educators in effectively integrating HCD into their teaching practices. It not only covers the fundamental concepts of HCD but also provides in-depth analysis of practical applications, such as enhancing student learning experiences and improving teaching skills. Specific strategies, ranging from redesigning lesson plans to creating more empathetic learning environments, make the book a practical tool for not only teachers but also administrators and policymakers.
Written by a group of authors from diverse fields and roles, this book reflects a wide range of perspectives and expertise. In addition to authors from the education field such as James Moran, Senior Lecturer in Curriculum Design at the University of Westminster and Bo Kelestyn, Associate Professor and the Undergraduate Student Engagement Lead at the Warwick Business School, the book also includes works by those with backgrounds in design, including Kim Anderson and Bernadette Geuy, and those in law, including Michael Doherty, Professor of Law at Lancaster University. Although coming from different lexicologies, the authors avoid overly complex terminology, making the content accessible to a broad audience.
A standout feature of the book is its approach to guiding readers through the topic using the steps of Design Thinking, a creative problem-solving method emphasizing empathy and innovation. Molly Northcote illustrates how this methodology was applied to complete the book, emphasizing practicality in every step of its development. In Chapter Two, ‘Service Design Solves the Right Problem’, author Adam Lawrence clarifies the term of Service Design” and Design Thinking, stating:
Service design (or design thinking, if you prefer) is a human-centred design approach that focuses on understanding the needs of users, employees, and organisations and fashioning offerings that meet those needs in a holistic and integrated way.
This Design Thinking approach to applying HCD follows a logical progression from general ideas to detailed applications, guiding readers through real-life studies and experiences from leading educators. Pamela Spokes and Jean Mutton, in their chapter ‘Change HEROs: Scaling Service Design as a Core Competence for Professional Services Staff’, share their journey of using HCD to improve performance and student experiences, emphasizing the essential role of Service Design in educational management. They explain how they drew upon their extensive experience in administrative and operational roles to create a course specifically for people like them: those wanting to make sustainable service improvements in systems and procedures, created or redesigned through human-centered research. In ‘Mindsets Eat Methods: Human-Centered Design for Organizational Change in Higher Education’, authors Phillippa Rose and Sharon Jones discuss how HCD provides tools to enhance user experience through real-life examples in higher education. Meanwhile, Radka Newton and Michael Doherty, in their work ‘‘Know thy Student, for She is Not Thee’: User Personas as a Way to Give Agency to Student Voice’, demonstrate how using User Personas fosters empathy between lecturers and students, ultimately improving their relationships.
Transforming Higher Education with Human-Centered Design is not merely a guide to HCD but a call to reimagine the approach to education. By emphasizing the learner's experience, it inspires educators to transform classrooms into spaces where learning is not only effective but also meaningful and personalized. Combining theory, practical applications, and philosophical reflections, this book is an indispensable resource for anyone involved in education.
Quyen Tuong Vu is a PhD Candidate at the University of Economics of Ho Chi Minh City.