Reimagining user research: human-centric design in the age of AI

Shaping future policies through enhanced human understanding

“For in the end, it’s all about being human, but it’s also about human beings creating something new and perpetuating change.” — Steve Jobs

This month, as I prepare myself to engage in a panel discussion on AI at the MIT Media Lab event, themed, “Forging the Future of Business with AI,” I find myself deeply contemplating my former role as a User Researcher and its significance. However, my reflections extend beyond the past; they encompass the present and the future. Deliberately stepping away from this familiar terrain, I’ve embarked on my own journey to explore a vital evolution of User Research; that is, Tech Humanism. This transformation is essential, and I’ll discuss further as I articulate why AI, now more than ever, demands a refined understanding of a human-centric approach to design.

Over the past twenty years, I have been immersed in the field of User Research and Human Factors. In 2009, I witnessed a pivotal shift in the industry, a trend that has persisted, leading to its dilution.

Nowadays, it is apparent that the essence of user…