Technology is playing an increasing role in our daily personal and professional lives. While the capabilities of new technologies (i.e., “hi-tech” solutions) have enabled people to be more productive at work and at home, I argue there is an increasing gap between hi-tech capabilities, and how hi-tech solutions interface with end users. This gap has the potential to negatively affect human and individual capital, which is why it is important to highlight the issues, challenges and impact of the usability and design of these hi-tech solutions. This thesis will take the humanistic perspective and argue that technology design has not kept up with technology capabilities, creating undesirable effects on people’s productivity -- and enjoyment -- as they interact with hi-tech devices, software and information systems. In addition, suggestions for how to overcome this gap are offered through the analysis of existing organizational dynamics, as well as offering new models from which to base usability and hi-tech design.