Human-Centered Design Toolkit Supports Business Innovation

We are really excited to share our new innovation toolkit! It is another way Independence Blue Cross is helping organizations address their unique business challenges using the core principles of Human-Centered Innovation^SM — our launch pad and process for pioneering new ideas to change the way health care is designed, delivered, and experienced via human-centered design.

What is human-centered design?

Human-centered design is a creative approach to problem-solving that keeps the people you’re designing for at the center of your thinking. It inspires teams to share and develop new ideas, then act on the best ones.

Human-centered design isn’t limited to health care challenges. It has been used for years in many industries. We believe these tools are most helpful in thinking through a challenge, whether you are creating new products or improving customer experiences.

How does the human-centered innovation toolkit work?

The Human-Centered Innovation toolkit is divided into four phases, with multiple tools, exercises, and our own real examples in each phase to help teams investigate, design, experiment, and act:

• Phase 1: Investigate: Frame and understand the problem; ask questions to determine scope; conduct and organize research; and identify common themes.
• Phase 2: Design: Stimulate new ideas and choose the strongest ones.
• Phase 3: Experiment: Decide what is critical for the success of your idea and test it before implementation by creating prototypes.
• Phase 4: Act: Identify champions and consider resources, such as budget and technology needs, to build a business case.

Request a human-centered innovation toolkit

From our own experience using the human-centered design process, we know it’s possible to take small steps toward implementing big changes. Customers, community partners, and other Blue Cross^® and Blue Shield^® companies — we invite you to start putting your customers at the center of your thinking as you generate ideas.