User-Centered Design (UCD)

What is User-Centered Design (UCD)?

User-Centered Design is an approach in product design, especially UX/UI, that places the needs, goals, behaviors, and experiences of users at the center of the entire design process.

Rather than guessing what users want, UCD encourages designers to continuously learn and validate their ideas through user research and practical testing. This mindset helps create products that are not only visually appealing but are also truly useful and easy to use.

4 core principles of UCD according to Nielsen Norman Group:

1. Understand the user – Understand the context of product use, behaviors, needs, and emotions.

2. Design with a clear goal – Each function or interface aims to address a specific need.

3. Continuous testing with real users – Use methods like usability testing or interviews to evaluate real experiences.

4. Iterate and improve – Design is never “done” at the first attempt. Everything needs testing - learning - adjusting.

For example

Suppose you are designing a digital banking app. If you apply UCD, you will:

• Interview users to understand what they commonly do in the app (transfer money, check balance…).

• Find that many older adults have difficulty with small fonts and too much information.

• Thus, you adjust the UI to larger buttons, a simple interface, and easily understandable information.

• Before releasing, you test with real users to see if they find it easy to operate and continue to refine.

Why is User-Centered Design (UCD) important?

UCD helps reduce the risk of creating a product that no one wants to use. It creates a natural experience that is close to actual user behaviors. As Steve Krug wrote in Don’t Make Me Think: “If users have to think too much to use your product, you’ve failed.”