Authors: Sarah Drummond, Debbie McVitty

These days learning is more complex than just walking into a building. Our experience of learning doesn’t happen in a vacuum – it’s part of our messy lives. We sometimes learn remotely, across geographies, by ourselves, on the go, in groups. What learners need and the effectiveness of delivering our intended educational outcomes can and should be designed.   

Our first thought of design is often physical objects, fashion, buildings, maybe websites. From shaping how we enrol on courses, to what kind of student support we provide, making Virtual Learning environments accessible, to wayfinding around complex campuses the whole end-to-end learning experience should be shaped. We must ensure that we meet both the needs of learners and the intended outcomes for our higher education institutions.   

I’m delighted to finally see a compendium of rich examples where academics and practitioners share their experiences of applying human-centred design methods and techniques to higher education. This will no doubt be a much-needed resource for institutions and educators embarking on consciously thinking how they design learning experiences for all.   

Sarah Drummond, Director of School of Good Services  

Across the globe higher education systems are in need of practical wisdom on tackling the challenge of reimagining how large, complex and bureaucratic institutions achieve their educational mission to realise students’ potential and improve their lives. Human-centred education and service design practice offers the practical tools to achieve this, underpinned by insight on how embracing connection, empathy and community can help to realise the continued value and importance of higher education to the contemporary world. This book will be of enormous interest to educators everywhere – whether employed in academic or professional roles – who care about the personal wellbeing and collective impact of the people who make up the higher education community.  

Debbie McVitty, Editor of WONKHE