How we connect with real people to design better digital tools

We create digital products with real people, from schools to care facilities, using human-centered research that goes beyond co-creation buzzwords.

At Bits of Love, we believe great software begins where technology ends, with real people. That’s why our research doesn’t take place in a sterile lab but out in the world: in schools, gyms, care facilities, town halls, classrooms, and even festival fields.

Instead of endless post-its and abstract personas, we watch, listen, and ask. That is how we see what people really do, spot hidden frustrations, and build solutions that fit their lives. But to achieve this, we need an investigative mind like a journalist and a non-biased observer like an anthropologist.

Why we do it

Many digital projects get lost in endless workshops and co-creation sessions, or even worse, we get “the perfect briefing” from upper management. Digital experts believe they are creating the ideal solution based on the briefing but never actually talk to the real daily users.

Our goal is to cut through that noise. We go where the users live, learn, work, and play to see what truly matters. Whether it’s a young student, a physiotherapist, a city official, or a 75-year-old who just wants to book a swimming class: real understanding happens on their terms, in their world.

That’s where the magic of digital empathy begins.

Our favourite field techniques

With over 20 years of experience, we have identified the 3 most effective and simple methods. We choose the right approach for each challenge, always with respect and curiosity:

Fly on the wall observation
- Quietly watching how people use tools or move through processes, perfect for capturing unconscious habits.
5 Why’s interviews
- Asking why five times, digging past symptoms to uncover the root motivation or frustration.
Guerilla testing
- Super lean, fast, and in-the-wild: ideal when budget or time is tight but validation remains crucial. Meet us at the train stations in Ghent, Bruges, or Antwerp with our paper prototypes 🙂

We use these methods repeatedly because they are effective, especially in three areas where we’ve developed deep expertise: working with very young and elderly individuals, employees who rely heavily on data flows and software, and the media.

Project snapshots

Watching young students try the Voka Talentcenter for the first time showed us how the digital platform can help young people explore their future with confidence, and where it still needs improvement.

We watched teens dive into our hybrid board game for the Port of Antwerp & Bruges, Port Xpert, to ensure it educates as much as it entertains, thanks to its hybrid setup.

In a Bruges classroom, our gamified survey gave kids a real voice in their city’s future, and we watched closely to ensure it was clear, engaging, and genuinely fun.

Testing our app with someone supported by De Lovie, we made sure it empowers users with mental vulnerabilities to act independently, reminding us that every audience has its own reality and needs.

At the Tomorrowland Academy boot camp, we listened to aspiring DJs and producers, immersing ourselves in their world so that the digital platform we built truly speaks their language.

Toddlers exploring Fonemi taught us that even when they’re engaged, focus is fleeting, which is why short attention spans became a key design driver in our next iteration.

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At Yachthaven Nieuwpoort, we've learned every detail of their daily operations, including their massive "boat sticker board," because true digital support begins with understanding the real world it serves.