?? Winning stakeholders over to user-centered design is like showing them a clear lens, they need to see what the users see. When I encountered resistance, I brought the stakeholders closer to the problem by sharing user stories, prototypes, or test videos that highlighted real pain points. These tangible examples transformed abstract objections into relatable insights. I also connected user-centered benefits to business outcomes, how addressing user needs reduces costs or boosts market appeal. One time, I organized a workshop where stakeholders experienced a usability issue firsthand, which shifted their perspective. Engaging them this way fosters alignment and builds advocacy for user-centered solutions.

I find that finding a story they can relate can be effective. Such as, what type of car they have? Or any object that matters to them. Ask questions, see how they relate to the product and then create the link with the user experience and how, maybe, that product was designed in the first place. Worth a shot!

In my experience, involving the stakeholder early in the development process can help them take ownership of the design process, as well as empathetically demonstrate the user's pain points and how their participation can help mitigate or eliminate those challenges.

Um ehrlich zu sein: Das passiert nur noch in Organisationen, in denen Design nur eine (Umsetzung)Funktion ist und eben nicht ein wichtiger Teil im Produkt-Team oder des gesamten Unternehmens. Also dann, wenn Design nur noch "liefern" soll, was sich andere ausgedacht haben, wo es einen Businessplan gibt oder eine Roadmap und man auf Input wartet - in diesem Fall Designs. Denn wenn Design ein fester Bestandteil der DNA des Unternehmens ist, dann ist es nach dem Prinzip der "Danish Design Ladder" keine Funktion sondern der Antrieb und letztlich ein Differenzierungs- und Strategiemerkmal. Wie kann man das ?ndern? Am besten man l?sst Stakeholder mal ihre Ideen und Features direkt vor User und Kunden pitchen - der Dialog mit Kunden hilft. Immer

A boardroom of skeptics. A luxury packaging company is clinging to their "timeless" designs and dismisses user-centered design (UCD) as a buzzword. “Why fix what isn’t broken?” they say. Neural Hinge made it personal - we started with Stories. NH shared how a small tweak - a dispenser redesign for a beauty client - came from listening to users who were tired of messy leaks. That tweak? It boosted sales by 25%. We mocked up prototypes of an elegant, user-driven design, with a luxurious yet intuitive click mechanism. The stakeholders leaned forward, they played with it, and their skepticism melted into curiosity. They loved how it felt and realized their consumers might too. We dont say, “UCD works.” We say, “UCD is profitable.”