User centered methodologies in design for social improvement: The case study of Prishtina

Abstract

User Centered Design, also known as UCD, allows designing solutions that are able to satisfy the requirements expressed by the users, intended as people that have to do with the product in every stage of its life. This specific approach can be also useful in the design of services and processes that need to consider the user experience as a fundamental stage of the project. UCD was therefore considered a proper method to be applied to public administrations’ work, to provide inclusive and effective services and facilities to citizens, in order to improve their wellbeing. The city of Prishtina, the new capital of Kosova , was considered an interesting example of a city with unsolved issues that could get a great advantage applying a User Centered approach to the design of public services, because of its social and multicultural identity that makes UCD suitable to answer to users’ needs. In this chapter the author proposes some topics on which it would be necessary to design and apply new innovative development strategies.