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Design with Purpose.
Build with People.

We believe the best technology doesn't just work — it resonates. Solving real problems for real people, especially in complex, diverse environments.

Technology fails not because of bad code — but because it ignores people.

70%
of digital projects fail due to poor user adoption
Source: McKinsey
higher user satisfaction with HCD-designed products
50%
faster time-to-market with people-centred processes

HCD is not a phase — it's a mindset.
We don't assume. We listen. We test. We co-create. Whether you're a startup, NGO, government agency, or enterprise, our HCD practice helps you turn ideas into human-first solutions.

The Wakara HCD Framework: 5 Phases

Flexible, iterative, and built for real-world impact.

01
Connect

Align & Understand

Define the challenge and stakeholders. We start here to ensure everyone is solving the right problem.

Key Activities

  • Stakeholder interviews
  • Goal mapping
  • Success metric definition (KPIs)
  • Scope & timeline planning

Deliverables

  • Project Charter
  • Research Plan
  • Stakeholder Map
02
Research

Listen & Learn

We go where users are — urban, rural, online, offline — to see the full picture.

Key Methods

  • In-depth user interviews
  • Ethnographic field studies
  • Journey mapping
  • Empathy mapping
  • Surveys & diary studies

Deliverables

  • User Personas
  • Journey Maps
  • Insights Report
  • "Jobs to be Done" Framework
03
Ideate

Co-Create & Explore

We don't design for people — we design with them. The best ideas come from users, not boardrooms.

Key Methods

  • Co-creation workshops
  • How Might We? sessions
  • Storyboarding
  • Concept sketching

Deliverables

  • Idea Portfolio
  • Concept Screens
  • Prioritized Solution Set
04
Prototype & Test

Build & Validate

Fail early, fix cheaply, succeed confidently.

Key Activities

  • Low-fidelity prototypes
  • High-fidelity clickable prototypes
  • Usability testing (remote & in-person)
  • A/B concept testing
  • Iterative refinement

Deliverables

  • Interactive Prototype
  • Usability Report
  • Refined Design Specifications
05
Deliver & Scale

Handoff & Grow

Great design doesn't end at launch — it evolves with users.

Key Activities

  • Design handoff to developers
  • UX guidelines & component library
  • Training for client teams
  • Roadmap for iteration
  • Post-launch evaluation plan

Deliverables

  • Final Design System (Figma)
  • User Testing Summary
  • HCD Integration Guide
  • Impact Dashboard (optional)

Service Packages

All packages include access to our HCD Toolkit — templates, workshop guides, and research scripts.

Package Best For Duration Key Outputs
HCD Discovery Validating ideas, understanding users 4–6 weeks Personas, journey maps, strategic insights
HCD Build Designing & testing solutions 6–8 weeks Prototypes, usability results, MVP-ready flows
HCD Transform Embedding HCD in your team culture 3–6 months Trained teams, scalable process, continuous feedback loops

Our Design Principles

These guide every project we take on.

Start with Empathy

Listen deeply. Observe without judgment. Understanding people is the foundation of everything we do.

Include the Marginalized

Design for the edges, and the centre will follow. The hardest users to reach are the most important.

Fail Fast, Learn Faster

Prototypes are meant to be wrong — so we can get it right. Speed of learning beats perfection.

Co-Create, Don't Dictate

The best ideas come from users, not boardrooms. We facilitate; communities lead.

Tech with Purpose

Innovation should serve people, not just impress investors. We measure success in human outcomes.

Context is Everything

Solutions built for Silicon Valley rarely work in Nairobi or Kigali. We design for where users actually are.

How We Measure HCD Impact

We track both human and business outcomes. We help you define baseline metrics before we begin.

Metric How We Measure It
User SatisfactionNPS, CSAT surveys
Task Success RateUsability testing
Time-on-TaskSession recordings
Adoption RateAnalytics (DAU/MAU)
Reduction in Support TicketsCRM data
Stakeholder Buy-InWorkshop feedback

Real Voices

"Wakara's HCD process helped us redesign our farmer app based on actual field feedback — not assumptions. Adoption doubled in 3 months."
AgriTech Product Manager, East Africa
"Their co-creation workshops brought our team together in ways we'd never experienced. Now HCD is part of how we innovate."
Innovation Lead, Regional Bank

How to Work With Us

1

Book a Free HCD Consultation

We'll discuss your challenge, goals, and fit for HCD — no commitment required.

2

Choose Your Package

Pick from Discovery, Build, or Transform — or we'll customise a scope that fits.

3

Kickoff & Collaborate

We onboard your team and start listening to users. You're involved throughout.

4

Receive Insights & Assets

Get research reports, prototypes, and a clear path forward — not just a slide deck.

5

Scale with Confidence

Launch knowing your product was built with people, not just for them.

HCD Glossary

Empathy Map A visual tool to capture what users say, think, do, and feel — exposing hidden needs and motivations.
Journey Map A timeline of a user's experience with a product or service, highlighting pain points and moments of delight.
Persona A fictional but data-driven representation of a key user type, grounded in real research.
Usability Testing Observing real users interact with a prototype to identify where they succeed, struggle, or drop off.
Rapid Prototyping Creating quick, low-cost models to test ideas before investing in full development.
Jobs to be Done A framework for understanding what users are really trying to accomplish — beyond surface-level feature requests.

Ready to design with your users?

Book a free 30-minute HCD consultation. Let's talk about your challenge and how human-centred design can help.

Book a Free Consult →