This is HCD – Human-Centered Design, UX & Service Design Thinking Podcast How to Make Design Visible in a Numbers-First Organisation
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Mar 31, 2026 A practical primer on making qualitative design work speak the language of KPIs and cost savings. Tips for reframing empathy as reduced calls, lower rework and cheaper transactions. Advice on learning leaders' reporting habits and mapping research to their metrics. Strategies for turning metrics-minded decision makers into advocates to expand design's impact.
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Translate Research Into Financial Metrics
- Do translate qualitative research into the metrics leaders care about.
- Present user frustration as concrete costs, e.g., "this step generates 40% of inbound calls and each call costs €12 to handle."
Metrics Leaders Lack A Category For Empathy
- Metrics-driven leaders don't ignore empathy because they're hostile; they literally lack a category for qualitative insights.
- Their careers trained them to value only what can be measured, so empathy doesn't register as consequential.
Show What Empathy Actually Saves
- Avoid pitching empathy as an abstract value; show what empathy saves in hard terms.
- Reframe insights to demonstrate reductions in complaints, call volume, rework costs, or time to resolution.