The LUMA System

The most practical, flexible and versatile approach to innovation in the world that anyone can learn and apply.

Explore the methods

Get an overview of the 36 human-centered design methods that comprise the LUMA System, with helpful instructions and tips for using them right away.

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Photo Illustration showing yellow, green and blue squares, representing Looking, Understanding and Making Human-Centered Design methods, falling into a vertical funnel and coming out the bottom as an orderly system, as LUMAtic character watches.
Illustration showing yellow, green and blue squares, representing Looking, Understanding and Making Human-Centered Design methods, falling into a vertical funnel and coming out the bottom as an orderly system, as LUMAtic character watches.
A simpler, easier way to be innovative

Every organization faces problems — big and small. To tackle those problems, we need to devise creative, innovative solutions faster than ever.

But how do individuals and teams actually become more innovative? LUMA believes any individual, team and organization has the potential to innovate, but may not know how.

We recognized that teams could wield the power of human-centered design: an approach to creative problem-solving that focuses on people above other factors — whether the challenge is making a better product, process, service or anything else.

But there are so many ways to be innovative that identifying the best approach to a certain situation can be overwhelming, eating up precious time.

So LUMA set out to envision a simpler way; we created the LUMA System as a framework for practicing human-centered design that people can apply to tackle problems of all sizes.

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A versatile toolset for any problem

The LUMA System of Innovation is a framework of human-centered design that forms a toolset and shared language for innovation, even across countries and cultures.

The methods are organized into three key design skills: Looking, Understanding and Making.

The flexibility and versatility of the LUMA System delivers powerful results:

  • Each method can be applied individually, for a focused approach to a specific question.
  • Multiple methods can be combined in different ways as needed for more complex challenges.
  • The methods can be used with any type of problem, in any type of setting. 

The LUMA System seamlessly integrates with processes like Sprints, Agile or Lean Six Sigma to supercharge their impact – and it can be used in-person or online.

However you work, LUMA works.

Photo A LUMA project planning sheet with Human-Centered Design methods laid out in sequence as a project roadmap.
A LUMA project planning sheet with Human-Centered Design methods laid out in sequence as a project roadmap.

The LUMA System is actually helping to change the trajectory of the company. It’s helping us make better decisions at all levels of the company, whether they’re small pivots on any given product or bigger choices we make with leadership of the company. It’s powerful stuff.

ROB DICKINS

Chief of Staff, Product Development, Autodesk

Photo A Venn diagram showing three red circles that represent Training, Resources and Programs, with the overlapping titled
A Venn diagram showing three red circles that represent Training, Resources and Programs, with the overlapping titled "Culture Change."
New skills to bring about culture change

A key part of building a culture of innovation is teaching people new problem-solving skills to use in their daily work.

Formal instruction is important, but 90 percent of learning happens outside the classroom: people learn by doing.

LUMA offers training, services and tools for all the ways that people learn. Our goal of helping organizations build a culture of innovation flows directly from our mission:

  • Help individuals become confident and capable problem solvers.
  • Equip teams to collaborate, think differently and deliver impactful solutions.
  • Transform organizations into places where people and innovation flourish.

We’ve done it with teams and organizations large and small around the world, and we can do it with yours, too.

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