This research explores the use of human-centered design as a lens through which to view the work of leaders in highly innovative schools. I propose that human-centered design is a model for change leadership, customizable to the varying contexts in which a school may exist. As human-centered design has captured the imagination of innovators as well as recent management research and theory, its application to school leadership and school innovation contexts is yet to be explored in great depth. This research leveraged design literature to develop a three-stage framework for human-centered design that includes inspiration, ideation, and implementation. Using this suggested framework, the narratives of the leaders of these innovative schools were collected through interviews. By applying a theoretic framework to understand the work of innovative school leaders, this research used human-centered design as a lens through which to view school leadership. Outcomes of the use of this framework can be used to provide insights into an alternative means to explore school change. This research offers insight into leaders' work in school innovation and describes the features common in each of the innovative school designs. Within the stages of human-centered design, leaders used empathetic skills to craft understandings and generate insights. Leaders crafted representations and tested ideas, seeking data and feedback from users to determine an idea's feasibility, viability, and desirability. Drawing from the insights of those in the school community, leaders leveraged the creation of tools to implement the vision for teaching and learning. Through the framework of human-centered design, leaders are builders of tools that shape the outcomes of the work of teaching and learning. This research further examines how created artifacts are used to bring coherence to the work in an innovative school setting, including how artifacts that create incoherence are identified and discarded, ensuring the sustainability of an innovation. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]