Designing for Human Experience with Sheryl Cababa

Sheryl Cababa discusses human centric design (HCD), why UX may be too successful and how systems thinking addresses human factors oft overlooked in design thinking.
Sheryl Cababa is the Chief Design Officer at Substantial where she conducts research, develops design strategies and advocates for human-centric outcomes.

From the infinite scroll to Twitter edits, Sheryl illustrates how current design practices unwittingly undermine human agency. Often while delivering exactly what a user wants. She refutes the need to categorically eliminate the term ‘users’ while showing how a singular user focus has led us astray. Sheryl then outlines how systems thinking can reorient existing design practices toward human-centric outcomes. Along the way, Kimberly and Sheryl discuss the limits of empathy, the evolving ethos of unintended consequences and embracing nuance. While acknowledging the challenges ahead, Sheryl remains optimistic about our ability to design for human well-being not just expediency or profit.

A transcript of this episode can be found here.

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Creators and Guests

Kimberly Nevala
Host
Kimberly Nevala
Strategic advisor at SAS
Sheryl Cababa
Guest
Sheryl Cababa
Chief Design Officer - Substantial
Designing for Human Experience with Sheryl Cababa
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