Activity

IOn February 2004, the first official organization for the promotion of human-centered design, the "Human-centered Design Organization (HCD-Net)", was approved as a specified non-profit organization in Japan. The major goal of the HCD-Net is to support the industry in Japan to introduce the usability into the product development process and to circulate products with high usability by actively conducting illuminative campaigns and related activities. In order to promote the activity on HCD in Japan, the organization will convey all the findings and developments achieved by researchers not only to those who design, develop and supply products and services but also to general consumers and product distributors. At the same time, the organization will conduct various kinds of activities including conferences, lectures, seminars, research, consultations, evaluations/analysis, design/development support and other related activities, associated with the promotion of human-centered design. The HCD-Net was established with the objective of making significant improvements for the current ICT-based society, thus activating the economy and turning a society with greater flexibility and latitude in reality, thereby contributing to the enhancement of the broader public welfare.

 

 

1. Research

To conduct funded research on usability engineering

To hold an annual conference on HCD

To provide the useful information on usability and HCD

 

2. Education

To plan and hold seminars concerning usability

To publish guidelines and textbooks on the human-centered design

 

3. Diffusion and Advocacy

To organize and implement diffusion activities of human-centered design

To diffuse recognition of the importance and necessity of human-centered design

To carry out consultation concerning usability of products and services

To enhance networking of human resource on usability

To organize stakeholders in experiments and research on usability

 

4. Promotion

To delegate large scaled and complex projects

To investigate and design the usability of relevant infrastructure

To plan and design products and services with high level usability

To participate in the assessment and analysis of the usability of products and services

 

5. Standardization and Accreditation

To take an active role in the standardization of usability-related issues

To enhance accreditation activities for usability products and usability professionals