The current environment with COVID-19 has many human resources teams wondering how best to support employee needs. Only our employees know how this is impacting them. Uncertain, ambiguous situations like this pandemic, are the right moments to rely on human-centered design methods. In these situations, human-centred design can help you take steps forward with confidence. Instead of solutioning from the top, rely on your employees to define the right answers for your business. If you listen, actions taken are more likely to be valued, embraced, and beneficial to your team.
Our suggestion to companies that approach us is to take the following four steps:
1. Understand the baseline situation
Take some time to engage, listen, and gather information. It can be as simple as a few conversations. If you have time, you can try to formalize what you learn into artefacts that everyone can use to understand what is happening. Quotes, videos, journey maps or personas can be helpful.
2. Define the moments that matter
Work with your employees to really understand and think about key moments. What will make the most difference, have the biggest impact, or create the most value if you tackle it.
3. Prototype and iterate solutions
Get ideas from your employees on how to tackle those key moments. Instead of finding the one answer, work on three or four possible solutions in a light way. Break out those possible solutions into a slightly different view and iterate on them.
4. Reflect on practical tests
Bring into the real world parts of your solutions to find out if they can have an impact for your team. By learning through these practical tests, you will find the right solution for your team.
You can take two days, two weeks or two months to go through these 4 steps and feel more confident in your actions.
Photo by Perry Grone on Unsplash
Leave a Reply