Rewiring Innovation
Why Human-Centric Systems Matter
We’ve spent decades in tech chasing speed and profit. In many ways, that made sense initially—after all, who wouldn’t want quicker solutions and bigger returns? But over time, we’ve seen a damaging byproduct of this “faster, cheaper” mindset: our systems, whether software or security, are built around efficiency rather than experience. We expect people to adapt to technology’s pace, even though human evolution simply can’t match the speed of technological evolution. The result? A slow decay of the human experience - ultimately impacting our collective well-being.
This imbalance is about to intensify as artificial intelligence races onto the scene. If we thought we built quickly before, we haven’t seen anything yet. AI promises even faster development cycles, more data, and more complex solutions—but humans still evolve at the same pace we always have. More complexity and speed doesn't necessarily mean it's better. It’s not just about being “left behind”; it’s about compromising the very essence of human experience and creativity.
But nature—and by extension, humans—has its limits. We’re finite. We can’t bend or break ourselves indefinitely to keep up with tech’s version of “progress.” So how do we build systems that don’t sacrifice speed yet still respect our finite capacity to adapt? How do we innovate without sacrificing our collective well-being on the altar of speed? We do it by building human-centric systems. Instead of asking people to conform to our technology, we reverse the question: “How can technology conform to people?”
Take, for instance, how social media platforms or messaging apps use red dots for notifications. These “badge” notifications can act like “OCD triggers,” causing anxiety and a near-compulsive need to check or clear them. Research shows that these bright red cues create an almost addictive, hyper-alert response, pushing us to open apps more frequently—just to make that dot disappear. It’s a prime example of how technology can manipulate human behavior rather than support it. Instead of asking, “How can we best serve the user’s well-being?” it’s more often, “How can we keep people hooked?” That subtle shift in motivation—from partnership to manipulation—ultimately undermines the human experience and trust in technology.
Imagine software, apps, and processes that aren’t simply response-driven, but deeply human. Systems that add value to the people who use them, without manipulating their psyche by tapping into their inherent vulnerabilities. That’s the promise—and necessity—of human-centric design in a rapidly evolving tech world. It’s time we recalibrate our focus from raw speed to sustaining and enriching the human experience.
After all, without the human element, what are we really building for?