User Centered Design Principles for Entrepreneurs: Quality and Sustainability Since Start-Ups Beginning

Abstract

This paper aims to enhance the importance of User Centered Design specifically for entrepreneurs, improving their companies and products and/or services. The focus of the research project concerns the importance of Design in service start-ups. The current situation, with the economical crisis and the consequent unemployment, created the opportunity for many individuals to develop their own companies, generating jobs for themselves and others. Usually, those entrepreneurs choose the same work industry where they have previous experience and know-how. Anyhow we have to consider that the average of startup companies end before being three years old. Before the creation, during daydreaming and the “kitchen table meetings” phase, people underestimate the time and effort needed to create, raise and maintain this kind of companies. This is a very important moment for the company’s maintenance and future. Focusing on the paradigm change, companies and entrepreneurs need to adapt themselves to the new reality through know-how. We underline the importance of User Centered Design (methodology and tools), Ergonomics and Human Factors to develop the projects in those small companies, which are fundamental to operationalize, enhance quality and increase global sustainability leading as main research result to a model where those are core aspects.

Keywords: Human Factors Ergonomics, User Centered Design, StartUps and Entrepreneurs, Service Design

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1001322