Feature
Conversations in HR technology have shifted in the last year from a focus on the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to now discuss its usefulness. Developers and employers are more likely to talk about measurable results and improved productivity. As a side effect, that has led to more discussion of how the user experience becomes a component of the employee experience.
The shift is subtle, but significant. Successful implementations and adoption, it turns out, require a hard look at a solution’s nuts and bolts. Fundamental usability and efficient processes are as critical as automation and increased speed.
While the conversations may not explicitly mention the term, they describe human-centered design, or HCD. HCD puts employees, managers and administrators at the center of the design process. By aligning technology with human workflows, capabilities and behaviors, HR platforms move from being complex applications into intuitive experiences that drive engagement, adoption and measurable business results.
Improving the User Experience
At the recent HR Technology Conference, for example, improving the user experience was a common theme. Vendors talked about how modest but deliberate enhancements — such as minimizing switching between applications — benefits productivity, engagement and retention. Outside the conference, the idea of “eliminating friction” is heard more and more. AI, said Findem Vice President David Malloy, is “forcing discussions around process,” where technology is expected to offer actual improvements in workflow and user satisfaction.
Vendor pitches now increasingly touch on both the administrative and end-user experiences. For example, isolved aims to reduce complexity by offering more capabilities directly on the login page, to eliminate steps in processes. The company is “looking at AI for potential to make things better,” said Amberly Dressler, senior vice president of brand and experience.
This approach resonates with customers who prioritize measurable outcomes over technological possibilities. HR leaders are less concerned with AI itself than with its impact on operational efficiency, said Ramya Venkateswaran, general manager at San Francisco-based HR platform Remote.
Without Use, Vision Doesn’t Matter
Vendors report that discussions with employers increasingly focus on practical applications such as scheduling, decision support and integrating processes for recruiting, onboarding, workforce management and performance management. Customers want to make their systems work better rather than invest money and time in new products that may force adoption of entirely new approaches, they said.
More people are realizing that many HR technology programs aren’t reaching their potential. This stems from solutions that are technically functional, but fail to meet the needs of the people who use them, according to industry analyst Josh Bersin. Often, systems are abandoned or underused because they are designed with technology rather than human behavior in mind.
This is why human-centered design is making a comeback. HCD uses a systematic focus on the needs and experiences of end users. The approach encompasses three core principles:
- Interfaces are designed based on actual employee workflows.
- Systems are flexible enough for less-experienced users.
- Results immediately demonstrate value.
By balancing functionality with behavioral and psychological considerations, HCD aims to create technology that is both usable and genuinely valuable.
Organizations that implemented HCD principles have reported adoption rates 40% higher than the industry average, and a 30% reduction in onboarding time, according to a frequently cited PwC report. Among the factors driving these outcomes are interfaces aligned with actual employee workflows rather than seeking the perfect process. Such technology fosters long-term engagement and satisfaction, experts say, outperforming traditional HR systems across multiple metrics.
HCD also aligns technology with broader organizational priorities such as compliance, regulations and workforce strategy. Sophisticated tools cannot compensate for gaps in process design or governance. So, effective HR technology must offer solutions tailored to the organization’s structure, culture and strategic goals.
Yes, We Need Metrics
What’s increasingly clear is that HR leaders are looking for measurable outcomes. When they talk about transformation, they’re talking about organizational readiness and quantifiable improvements in employee experience and administrative efficiency. Specific topics — such as learning, collaboration and workforce flexibility — are nudging AI itself away from center stage
This affects how HR professionals approach technology. Managers must consider not only a system’s functional capabilities, but also how it can be integrated into everyday workflows. Successful implementation requires attention to data quality, process design and change management. Customers are increasingly saying AI and automation are tools, not objectives.
All of this indicates a maturing AI market. By focusing on usability, process improvement and measurable outcomes, HR technology delivers meaningful value, and enhances productivity, satisfaction and retention. HCD helps achieve these goals.
The HR tools that succeed will be the ones that simplify complexity, support decision-making and integrate with the daily flow of work. Adoption depends on an organization’s ability to meld technology with human behavior and operational realities. As the hype simmers down, developers will have to pay as much attention to human experience as they do to technical architecture. The ultimate measure of HR technology, after all, is not what it can do in theory, but what it helps people do in practice.
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Implementing HR technology requires understanding how people, processes and technology work together. Human-centered design is emerging as an enabler, so technology is not just used, but actively embraced.
Editor's Note: Catch up on other thoughts around AI's adoption in HR below:
- From Tool to Teammate: How AI Is Rewiring People Strategy and What HR Can Do to Adjust — HR leaders see AI transforming work beyond automation — reshaping teams, culture and people strategy. The future is “human-engaged” work, not human-replaced.
- If We Want AI to Help HR, HR Has to Join the Conversation — Engineers are designing AI systems to address problems that are rooted in the very systems HR understands best.
- Why HR and IT Must Join Forces for AI to Succeed — The overlooked partnership at the center of real AI adoption.
