Welcome to the Human-Centered Innovation Research (HCIR) Group, led by Dr. Will Zhao at the University of Waterloo. Our group is dedicated to advancing innovation that contributes to human and societal well-being. Drawing on interdisciplinary insights from social sciences, engineering, and the arts, we seek to push the boundaries of traditional innovation studies, fostering solutions that resonate across well-being sectors, such as health, education, and recreation. Our research is organized around three interconnected themes:

​​​​​​Organizational Dimensions of Innovation:

• This research line emphasizes the importance of organization and organizing for innovation, focusing on social structures, practices, and behaviors. Drawing on theories and evidence from organizational behavior and institutional analysis, we study the dynamics that facilitate or hinder innovative processes in sectors like health, education, and recreation, identifying pathways to create more resilience and innovations.

Applied Artificial Intelligence for Well-being:

• We are enthusiastic about the transformative potential of applying machine learning in personalizing experiences in healthcare, education, recreation, and beyond. By focusing on predictive modeling, diagnostics, and operational efficiency, we aim to drive innovations that directly benefit human and societal well-being.

Philosophical and Ethical Perspectives on Innovation:

• This research stream tackles the ethical implications of emerging technologies, especially AI. We are committed to developing and examining ethical guidelines and frameworks that ensure these technologies positively impact society, emphasizing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in all aspects of technological development and deployment.

Our Approaches

Our group utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methods to address the interdisciplinary research questions related to innovation. Our toolkit includes linguistic and semiotic analysis, statistical modeling, and machine learning. By focusing on both the economic and societal impacts of innovation, we explore how different wellbeing sectors—such as health, education, and recreation —can be transformed through technologies and organizational practices that are human-centered. These diverse methods enable us to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and solutions in innovation while promoting human and societal well-being.

Get in Touch

We conduct research at both our Stratford and main Waterloo campuses. For further information or collaboration opportunities, please contact Dr. Will Zhao at wwzhao[at]uwaterloo.ca.