humandesigned

Humandesigned is a term used to describe products, services, or systems that are designed with a particular emphasis on human values and human agency throughout the design process. It signals a conscious effort to embed human needs, ethics, and social impact into both the form and function of a thing, rather than treating humans purely as users or data sources. The term is not tied to a single organization or formal standard; it has emerged in design discourse as a flexible descriptor for approaches that prioritize participatory methods, transparency, and accountability.

While related to human-centered design and participatory design, humandesigned stresses ongoing human oversight and cultural responsiveness, as well as explicit consideration of consent, privacy, and long-term consequences. Practitioners may employ co-design workshops, inclusive testing across diverse populations, and iterative feedback loops to ensure outcomes align with user values and societal norms.

Common principles include user involvement across stages; clear articulation of design decisions; accessibility and inclusivity; ethical data handling; explainability in AI; and sustainability. The term is often applied to digital products, but it is used in hardware, urban planning, education, and public services as well.

Critics argue that the term can be vague or used as branding, and that real impact depends on implementing concrete processes rather than labeling. Proponents contend that humandesigned provides a useful umbrella for integrating human-centric values beyond usability alone.

See also human-centered design, participatory design, ethical design, inclusive design.