Implementing successful human-centric software development 

Technology has enabled developers to build the most advanced and accessible digital applications—yet often the experiences we engage with are not designed with humans in mind. Interfaces are clunky and cumbersome and not the seamless interactions that people expect from brands and services. With this, CIOs are facing rising expectations to improve application accessibility. 

Human-centric application development refers to the building of applications and websites that are easy to navigate across a diverse community of users. It should address users’ specific needs in terms of abilities, demographics and personality factors as well as language and cultural backgrounds. Typical features include dark mode for mobile operating systems, the ability to zoom in or adjust text size, text dictation, and voice search. To be considered human-centric in design, the product or app must be trustworthy, intuitive, easy to use, inclusive and accessible to all while delivering rich functionality. 

Further pressure on tech leaders comes from plans by the EU and the US to introduce best-practice legislation around equal and inclusive access to digital services for all. Progressive organisations are already building applications and websites that can be easily navigated by a diverse community of users. For the rest, inaction is no longer an option. 

Current state of human-centric software design

A recent Progress survey of over 700 application developers and IT decision-makers highlighted the reality of meeting market needs for human-centric software. Although 98%of respondents consider human-centric design important, a mere third (34%) are addressing the issue through tools, training, and policy.  

With more than half (56%) of global organisations planning to increase their investment in human-centric software design over the next year, the right approach is crucial to making digital experiences accessible to all. 

The biggest known barriers to implementing required accessibility standards include the speed of development while meeting customer demands (42%), complexity and lack of agility (41%) and lack of in-house skills (29%). Tech leaders will need to find more budget and the right training and tools to meet customers’ expectations. 

The risks of overlooking an accessibility-first approach range from customer churn to reputational damage. Over half of respondents (55%) equally see customer churn as a major risk with customers moving to more user-friendly options in addition to loss of profit or revenue. Reputational damage and negative impact on inclusion and diversity efforts are also a key consequence of not having a human-centric software strategy. 

There are significant benefits to those who embrace the human-centric design approach. According to the Progress survey, the biggest benefits are customer appeal, increased market opportunity or new audiences, positive financial impacts, enhanced digital trust and more efficient software application development processes. 

In addition to these, with tech companies in a constant battle for top talent, prioritising human-centric design is yet another way for companies to stand out in a crowded marketplace. 

Key challenges to embracing human-centric software development

There are some key reasons why organisations are lacking in terms of human-centric app design. First, there’s confusion around the tools and processes needed, including AI and machine learning, chatbots, assistive technology for motor disabilities, colour contrast checking, and more. The need for training is a major barrier in addition to finding cost-effective approaches. 

Failing to acknowledge the problem is possibly the biggest issue. Despite the data showing most organisations were immature or average in human-centric app design, 57% stated they believe they applied design-thinking principles entirely when creating a framework. There is a clear need for greater self-awareness and rigorous internal benchmarking to accurately reflect an organisation’s human-centric design maturity level.  

Finally, retrofitting inclusion and accessibility into existing applications clearly isn’t an option with the majority (86%) of those surveyed acknowledging this. 

Foundations for an effective human-centric design approach

There are key practices that organisations can adopt to design human-centric applications to be more inclusive, sustainable, and aligned with increasing regulations. 

• Objective self-assessment: A wide disconnect persists between perceptions of human-centric design maturity and business reality. To level this, organisations must engage in more rigorous internal testing, cross-team collaboration, and goal setting to clearly understand their current state. 

• Training: The most urgent need is training and skills development around human-centricity and accessibility. Existing teams will benefit from training programs on human-centric design practices, combined with hiring diverse talent to help lead these efforts. Organisations must also identify the right partners to both create and sustain training and maintain regulatory requirements. 

• More cohesive design principles and tooling: Organisations need a more cohesive strategy for human-centric design with measures taken to verify they are being followed. With a strategy and goals established, it will be much easier to sift through available tooling and select the ones best suited to each organisation’s use case. Key collaboration hurdles they face are typically in addressing data bias and when establishing DevSecOps practices. 

Truly inclusive and accessible design is a business differentiator

Increasingly, organisations are placing undisputed importance on building human-centric software. And with many apps falling well short of marketplace needs and user expectations, the risks are real—from poor customer experience and regulatory breaches to financial losses. 

Organisations that take the appropriate steps to build more inclusive, contextual and tailored digital products will reap the benefits. This includes training, improved collaboration, cost-effective approaches and working with partners and suppliers who prioritise essential protocols and metrics. Delaying investments to improve their maturity in this area will only make the journey harder as competitors and critics are only a few clicks away.

(Photo by Anton Palmqvist)

See also: Software development trends and predictions for 2025

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Tags: coding, development, human-centric, programming