Igniting SOCIAL INNOVATION

Communication for Development – Social and Behavior Change

¿Qué fomenta un trabajo en equipo eficaz? No se trata solo de agrupar individuos y esperar lo mejor. Se trata de cultivar un entorno en el que converjan la confianza, la comunicación abierta, el respeto mutuo y una visión compartida.

Written by

Markel R. Méndez H.

—

×

The Human Element: Building Trust and Reshaping Realities Through HCD

Addressing complex collective challenges demands more than top-down directives; it requires a deeply participatory approach, fostering genuine co-creation of solutions. Human-Centered Design (HCD) offers a powerful framework for this, emphasizing direct collaboration with the very individuals and communities for whom solutions are being designed. This methodology acknowledges that true expertise often resides with those experiencing the problems daily, making their involvement indispensable for relevant and sustainable outcomes.

We know that reality is not objective, because social reality is built by individual and collective perception. The way humans interpret the world is shaped by mental constructs and interactional processes. What appears as reality is a product of our perceptions and numerous interactions, socially constructed from our imagination (Dittus, R., 2006). Without communication, there is no possibility of being an observer, and thus, no conscious subject or perceived reality. The social imaginary, a bank of socially shared images, gives meaning to our existential environment and fills cognitive gaps, influencing how we perceive the past, future, and present. Because of this, accessing an objective social reality, independent of our perception, is impossible.

The process of designing solutions through HCD is, in itself, a powerful generator of social change. By actively engaging people in identifying needs, brainstorming ideas, and testing prototypes, HCD builds a sense of ownership and agency. This collaborative journey naturally increases confidence among participants, fostering trust within the community and strengthening collaborative ties that are vital for collective action. When individuals are empowered to shape their own solutions, it cultivates a shared belief in their collective ability to create meaningful change.

The process of generating evidence is both a scientific endeavor to understand social challenges and measure a problem, and a process to engage with contexts and people for addressing those challenges and finding solutions. HCD advocates for swift, low-cost field research and testing solutions before investing in larger-scale implementation. This approach prioritizes identifying the most important challenges facing the most disadvantaged, working directly with them to close what is known as the “empathy gap.” It moves beyond simply relying on self-reported data by combining interviews with observations, seeking to unearth the nuanced details of human behavior and context. The goal is to develop effective solutions by truly understanding the underlying drivers and barriers to desired behaviors.

The implementation of an intervention or solution to a social problem is in itself a process of transformation, both socially and individually. This phase involves bringing solutions to life and to market, building partnerships, refining models, and piloting ideas. It’s about continuously learning, evaluating, and improving solutions, even after initial launch. This iterative approach allows for adaptation to unforeseen obstacles and ensures that solutions remain relevant and effective in real-world conditions. As interventions are designed for collective action and impact, they inherently reshape social interactions, norms, and even identities within communities.

The main element of social change is trust. Trust is fundamental to achieving positive outcomes and building social capital. When individuals and organizations engage in genuine co-creation and collaboration, building strong relationships and shared understanding, it strengthens the very fabric of communities. Collective efficacy, built on social cohesion and shared expectations, enables communities to address complex problems, improve well-being, and foster resilient environments where individuals feel connected and supported (Kaplan, S. D., 2021). Without this foundation of trust and robust social connections, even the most brilliant ideas may fail to achieve lasting impact.

There is much to research and understand regarding cultural practices, psychological transformation, and the complexities of communication during change. HCD emphasizes the importance of going into the field to observe and investigate challenges directly. It calls for recognizing the diversity of participants, including men and women, old and young, and various community roles, to uncover subtle root causes stemming from different expectations and socially conditioned roles. This deep immersion helps to bridge the knowledge gaps and prevents solutions from being designed based on external assumptions rather than lived experiences. Furthermore, the complexity of human behavior means that simple informational strategies are often insufficient, highlighting the need for a nuanced understanding of how people make decisions and are influenced.

References

  • Stanford Social Innovation Review. (2010). Design Thinking for Social Innovation. (T. Brown amp; J. Wyatt).
  • Cash, P., Gram Hartlev, C., amp; Durazo, C. B. (2017). Behavioural Design: A Process for Integrating Behaviour Change and Design. Design Studies, 48(January), 96-128.
  • Christopherson, E. G., Howell, E. L., Scheufele, D. A., Viswanath, K., amp; West, N. P. (2021). How Science Philanthropy Can Build Equity. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 19(4), 48–56.
  • Dittus, R. (2006). El Imaginario Social y su Aporte a la Teoría de la Comunicación: Seis Argumentos para Debatir. Cinta moebio, 26, 166-176.Feng, T. (2021). Bringing Evidence-Based Policy Change to Rural China. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 19(4), 18–25.
  • Groenewegen, A. (2020). The Art of Designing Behaviour: Mastering a practical method to influence decisions and shape desired behaviours.
  • Boom.IDEO.org. (2015). The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design. IDEO.org.
  • Kaplan, S. D. (2021). Building Relationships, Strengthening Neighborhoods. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 19(4), 40–47.
  • Mair, J., amp; Gegenhuber, T. (2021). Open Social Innovation. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 19(4), 26–33.
  • Nagle, F. (2021). The Problem of Social Benefit. Stanford Social Innovation Review, 19(4), 34–41.