Human design Group

What Human design Group does

Human design Group is a French specialized consulting firm providing human factors engineering, ergonomics, and user experience (UX) design services to enterprise clients operating in complex, regulated systems. Founded in 1978 as Bertin Ergonomie from an INRIA research team and operating as an independent private company since its 2018 spin-off from Bertin Technologies, the firm employs over 140 consultants—roughly 50% ergonomists, 25% designers, 15% researchers, and 10% engineers—across six vertical practices: Aerospace, Defence & Security, Energy, Industry, Mobility, and Health & Wellbeing. Notable clients include CNES, Airbus Atlantic, ADP, EDF, Technip Energies/BP, Stellantis, Valeo, SNCF, RATP, Exail, DGA, Orange, Les Mousquetaires, Merck, VINCI Airports, and Saint-Gobain.

The firm's technology stack rests on proprietary human factors tooling rather than classical software. Core differentiators include Sensorium, a human factors test bench for evaluating human-system interactions in operational and space analogue environments; ÉOS (Optimal Recovery Experience), a fatigue and circadian management solution for space and operational settings; a scale-1 multi-user VR installation for immersive control room evaluation with eye tracking and voice recording; Human-Machine Teaming solutions for human-robot and AI-integrated supervision; and the proprietary Three Diamond Model human-centred design methodology spanning exploration, design, and evaluation. Revenue is generated through three professional services streams—consulting (space planning, working conditions, organisational design, product/service design, systemic design, and human-machine interaction), applied research (user testing, cognitive analysis, Sensorium-based evaluation), and Qualiopi-certified training—distributed through direct enterprise sales via dedicated sector divisions and amplified through thought-leadership content, expert briefings, and industry events (EURONAVAL, NASA IWS, IAC2024). The firm operates from headquarters in Versailles and offices in Toulouse, Lyon, Aix-en-Provence, Bordeaux, and Vigo (Spain), and holds ISO 9001, Qualiopi, IPRP, and IEC 62366-1 certifications that gate access to highly regulated aerospace, nuclear, defence, and healthcare accounts.

Name

Human design Group

Legal name

Human design Group

Website

https://humandesign.group

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Human design Group is a French independent consulting firm providing human factors engineering, ergonomics, and UX design services to enterprise and government clients in aerospace, defence, energy, mobility, industry, and healthcare, supported by its proprietary Sensorium test bench and a team of over 140 specialized consultants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Human Factors and Ergonomics Consulting

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (541420), Industrial Design Services (54142), Interior Design Services (54141), Engineering Services (54133), Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Specialized Design Services (54149)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Product Design & Mechanical Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Brand Experience (BX) & Service Design (BPAFAEAI), Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB), Learning Experience Design (LXD) & UX for Learning (EDAGAKAF)

Keywords

• Human factors consulting
• Ergonomics consulting services
• User experience design
• Human-machine interaction
• Cognitive engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Versailles

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting services in human factors, ergonomics, UX design, and organizational transformation delivered by expert consultants to enterprise clients
2. Research Services: Applied research services including user testing, cognitive analysis, and performance evaluation for complex systems
3. Training: Professional training services in human factors, ergonomics, and change management with Qualiopi certification

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Human design Group is a French consulting firm providing human factors, ergonomics, and user experience (UX) design services to enterprise clients across aerospace, defence, energy, mobility, industry, and healthcare. It delivers advisory engagements, applied research (via the Sensorium test bench), proprietary solutions such as the ÉOS fatigue management system, and Qualiopi-certified professional training. The firm originated from an INRIA research team integrated into Bertin Technologies in 1978 and became independent as Human design Group in 2018.

Product overview

Human design Group is a consulting firm offering human-centered design services rather than a unified software product. Its portfolio consists of specialized consulting practices (Space Planning, Working Conditions, Organisational Design, Product & Service Design, Systemic Design, Human-Machine Interaction), a research platform (Sensorium), training services, and proprietary solutions including ÉOS for fatigue/stress management in operational environments. The company also applies methodologies such as Hidden Costs Analysis to transform organisational inefficiencies into measurable performance gains.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conseil (Consulting Services) Human-centered consulting covering space planning, working conditions improvement, organisational design, product and service design, systemic design, and human-machine interaction for enterprise clients in safety-critical and complex industries.
• Recherche (Research Services) Applied research services in human factors and ergonomics, including experimental evaluation, cognitive analysis, and performance studies for complex systems and operational environments.
• Formation (Training Services) Qualiopi-certified professional training in human factors, ergonomics, change management, and related disciplines for enterprise professionals.
• Sensorium Human factors test bench and research platform for evaluating human-system interactions in operational environments, including space analogues, with eye tracking and voice recording instrumentation.
• ÉOS (Optimal Recovery Experience) Solution addressing fatigue and stress management in operational environments, including countermeasures for stress, effective waking, and mitigating sleep inertia in space missions and other high-stakes settings.
• Hidden Costs Analysis Methodology and engagement service that integrates human factors and ergonomics with Henri Savall's hidden cost-performance approach to identify, measure, and transform hidden organisational costs into measurable performance gains.
• User Testing Services User testing services including remote testing, expert evaluations, card sorting, and usability assessments used to validate digital products, intranets, and processes for enterprise clients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35-55% of hidden costs can be transformed into performance gains through structured human factors approach
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GIFEN (Groupement des Industriels Français de l'Energie Nucléaire)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade association for the nuclear industry, bringing together major contractors, large companies, ETIs, SMEs covering all areas of civil nuclear power. Human design Group participates as a member to contribute human factors expertise to the nuclear sector.
• GICAT (Groupement des Industries Françaises de Défense Terrestre)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade association with over 435 members including major groups, ETIs and SMEs covering industrial, research, service activities for national and international military and civilian defence. Human design Group contributes human factors expertise for land and air-land security applications.
• France InnovationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrade association bringing together private R&D providers, innovative companies, and innovation consulting firms. Human design Group participates as a member contributing to innovation in human-centred design.
• Aerospace ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEurope's leading aerospace competitiveness cluster serving Aeronautics, Space and UAVs sectors in Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions. Human design Group participates as a member contributing human factors expertise to aerospace innovation projects.
• NumeumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrance's leading professional organization for the digital sector, bringing together more than 2,500 digital companies including ESNs, software publishers, platforms and ICT companies. Human design Group ranked in their Top 100 ESN & ICT 2024.
• ENSC (École Nationale Supérieure de Cognitique)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic engineering school of Bordeaux INP training engineers with dual skills in ICT and cognitics. Partnership for talent development and research collaboration.
• Carnot Cognition InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne-stop shop for bilateral contract research with Carnot accreditation helping companies innovate products and services by taking into account the cognitive dimension of the human being. Advisory board member Célestin Sedogbo serves as Director.
• Strate, School of DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading design school in Paris, Lyon and Bangalore with state-approved designer diploma. Partnership for talent development and design expertise.
• IRT b-comminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate technology research institute exploring and delivering innovations to companies. Partnership for technology research and innovation projects.
• AirCyber ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAerospace cybersecurity initiative. Human design Group joined to contribute human factors expertise to cybersecurity in aerospace applications.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IDEO: Global human-centered design consultancy founded on a similar philosophy of integrating research, design, and prototyping to solve complex problems. Comparable as a design-led consultancy using a methodological framework (similar spirit to the Three Diamond Model) to drive transformation across industry verticals.
• Assystem: French independent engineering and management consulting firm focused on energy, nuclear, defense, and transportation infrastructure. Comparable for its mix of regulated-sector clients, French/European footprint, and focus on technical consulting for complex systems where human factors is a meaningful adjacency.
• SEGULA Technologies: French-headquartered engineering services group operating across automotive, aerospace, defense, energy, and rail. Comparable for its consulting-plus-engineering positioning serving mid-sized and enterprise accounts in exactly the verticals Human design Group serves, with international offices.
• Bertrandt: European engineering services firm specialized in automotive, aerospace, and digital engineering including HMI/UX and usability services. Comparable as a sector-specialist consultant with similar ergonomic and HMI work and a comparable consultant-led delivery model.
• AKKA Technologies (now Capgemini Engineering): Pan-European engineering services firm (now within Capgemini) with strong aerospace, automotive, mobility, and defense practices. Comparable for its multidisciplinary consultant model and the role of human-machine interaction, ergonomics, and systems engineering as cross-sector service lines.
• ALTEN: European leader in technology and engineering consulting (Technology, R&D consulting) with deep aerospace, defense, mobility, energy, and life sciences exposure. Comparable for its project-based expert-consultant model, multi-vertical coverage, and mid-to-large European footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Egis: French engineering group active in transport, urban, energy, environment, and building infrastructure. Comparable for being a French-headquartered multi-disciplinary consultancy where ergonomics, human factors, and human-centered design play a role in client outcomes, though it operates across a broader portfolio.
• Capgemini Engineering: The dedicated engineering services arm of Capgemini (post-Altran integration), operating as a broad incumbent across aerospace, automotive, industrial, and life sciences. Comparable for offering human factors, UX, and systems engineering as part of a much larger portfolio rather than as a focused specialty.

Emerging players

• PA Consulting: Global innovation and transformation consultancy with a recognized human factors practice serving aerospace, defense, transport, and healthcare. Comparable for blending management consulting with deep technical human factors expertise on complex engineering programs.

Others

• Noldus Information Technology: Dutch provider of behavioral research instrumentation, observation, and analytics platforms widely used in human factors, ergonomics, and UX research. Comparable as an enabling technology vendor adjacent to Human design Group's Sensorium-style research infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/human-design-group-bertin-ergonomie
• Xx.com/byHDGroup

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Human design Group