Human-centred design practice and challenges in four Finnish organisational information system development projects

The objective of this study was to recognise challenges that designers face when they are applying a human-centred design approach into organisational information system development projects. Participant-observation during the years 2004–2013 and inductive analysis were used to gain an understanding of designers’ everyday work practices and real-life obstacles. Analysis led to the four categories of human-centred design work barriers: contract limitations, contradictory expectations, technological disinterest and isolation of designers. These barriers indicate that the designer’s role in development projects is still vague and unclear, which makes it harder to work productively and affect usability related decisions.