The human-centred designer and the cognitive dissonance theory

Abstract

This thesis will explore how the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance provides an improved competency for designers to understand the people they design for and the impact solutions have on communities. To do so, this thesis explains; components of the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance, identifies scientific experimentation, utilization in design, provides tools and methods for the application of the Theory to Human-Centered Design practice, and exemplifies Cognitive Dissonance Theory based intervention in a case study. The result of developing competencies in Cognitive Dissonance Theory is the ability to assess qualitative data that allows designers to understand the deeper mental drivers of human behavior and make predictions of how design solutions may impact the community, all rooted in evidence-based theory. This thesis not only allows designers to adopt a new competency for understanding people and their motivations but can act as a conduit for the adoption of other psychology based competencies to Human-Centered Design as a discipline. By doing so designers understand people on a deeper level making their work truly human-centered.