Challenges faced by health systems have become increasingly complex, and expanding the range of methodological options available via interdisciplinary collaboration is important to enable researchers to address them. As complexity increases, it can be more difficult to ensure solutions remain patient-centered. Human-centered design is an approach that focuses on engaging with and understanding the needs of all services users while retaining a systems perspective. Therefore, design professionals skilled in these approaches are increasingly collaborating within health systems in pharmacy and health research teams.

This methodological paper considers the potential contribution of human-centered design approaches to optimising development, implementation, and sustainability of patient-centered interventions in pharmacy and health services research. It provides an overview of human-centered design principles and their application, and outlines the emerging roles of design professionals in pharmacy and health services research. It focuses on three key human-centered design methods that can most readily be used by pharmacy and health services researchers.