An Introduction to the HX Handbook

The HX Handbook is a clear roadmap to creating better human experiences of technology. Discover insights into making better digital products and services, and better decisions around how to create digital experiences your customers will actually use - and love. 

HX stands for Human Experience. This excerpt from the HX handbook sets out Apolinar’s philosophy and approach to creating digital transformation and experiences that helps organisations and all their stakeholders arrive at the best possible human experience of technology. 

To be clear, HX is not CX. While CX recognises the critical role of customers and end-users in the successful implementation of technology, there will always be other audiences and stakeholders that are affected or impacted. HX offers a new, universal approach to technology projects that carefully considers the needs of everyone involved. 

Apolinar believes technology is a wonderful servant in the furthering of human endeavour - but it makes a poor master. The most successful technology projects are extremely well imagined and constructed, resulting in digital experiences that are deeply human in nature, and therefore highly enjoyable to use. Successful digital transformation helps ensure uptake from all stakeholders. 

HX is designed to unite people with a common purpose for common benefit, from the start to the end of the value chain. It is an all-encompassing approach. When used properly, HX solves problems - without creating new ones. 

What follows is a set of guiding principles to help your organisation build digital products and services that offer the greatest possible human experience. 

We hope in following our approach - or even just the parts that apply most to your circumstances - you will be on your way to creating greater value, usability, and satisfaction for yourself, and everyone else involved.

What Is HX?

HX stands for the Human Experience of digital technology. 

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what kind of digital product or service you’re creating or building, if it’s going to be used by people, then they are going to “experience” it. It’s going to leave your audience with a collection of rational and emotional responses that can be the difference between success and failure. 

Implementing Apolinar’s HX methodology in your digital transformation challenge will help you create a digital product that is fit for purpose. 

HX is a business process of thinking, design and implementation. We’ve perfected it to help organisations create, build and deploy digital experiences that leave the end-user with a positive emotional outtake. It shouldn’t surprise you that this simple human feeling can add billions to the value of your business and brand. 

One example is the simplicity and warmth created by so many of Apple’s products. No accident, this customer feeling contributed directly to Apple becoming the world’s first trillion dollar company.

The Italian home appliance manufacturer De'Longhi used to say, “We were thinking of you when we thought of it.” This is a very eloquent expression of the concept of HX.

Our modern reality is largely constructed of digital products, services, and experiences. eMarketer found the average US adult spends three hours and 43 minutes on their mobiles every day. That’s 50 days of every year. Statista puts it even higher, with 46% of people spending five to six hours a day on their phones. Entrepreneur Magazine reports millennials will spend an average of 76,500 hours of their lifetimes - nine years - on their devices. 

In considering those numbers, you realise how absolutely central the human experience of technology has become in our lives.

And, you begin to appreciate the importance of putting the human experience at the very heart of what you and your organisation does.