What is one of the main goals of user-centered design?

User-centered design places a primary emphasis on understanding and addressing the needs, preferences, and overall experiences of the users. The approach is inherently about empathizing with the users and ensuring that their perspectives shape the design process. By focusing on the users, designers aim to create solutions that not only meet functional requirements but also resonate emotionally and contextually with the users. This leads to products that are more effective, efficient, and satisfying to use, ultimately fostering a deeper connection between the user and the product.

In contrast, while speed in product development, alignment with business strategies, and maximizing profit margins are important considerations in the broader scope of business and design, they do not directly reflect the core goals of user-centered design. Importantly, user-centered design prioritizes user needs above all, which may sometimes require trade-offs in these other areas.