What is our approach
Design your design work
Completing a Human-Centred Design process can look a lot of different ways. Some teams might tackle a project in a week-long sprint. Some teams may dedicate six months to a year to complete a design process. Furthermore, some teams might already have a solution in mind and do not need to start at the beginning of the Human-Centred Design process.
In fact, there is no true beginning to a Human-Centred Design process. Recognizing that not all teams need to begin in the same place and that not all problems require the same investment of time and resources, the Design Your Design Work tool is designed to help your team evaluate the problem you are hoping to solve, in order to determine the most productive course of action. There are also instances where the nature of the problem and the potential for making positive change warrant a deeper time investment. Identifying these opportunities that are ripe for social innovation is critical in order for your team to properly resource the project and create the conditions for a robust Human-Centred Design process to be completed.
Through a series of reflective exercises, your team can use this tool to evaluate the problem you are hoping to solve and determine a potential pathway for designing a solution. Some pathways require less time investment and some require more. Different pathways recommend starting with different phases of the Human-Centred Design process.
Equity and Design
Our Human-Centred Design process integrates equity-centered practices and reflections to support those who are using the resources to practice design that shares power and access to resources, elevates life experiences, and amplifies the voices of those who are experiencing the problem in the decision-making process.
We introduce a series of frameworks in participation, power, and expertise to illustrate the power dynamics of decision-making and development work. We also present a spectrum of approaches and Human-Centred Design Strategies related to varying degree of community engagement in the design process.
Sustainability and design
Incorporating environmental sustainability into a human-centered design (HCD) process is crucial for creating products, services, or systems that not only meet human needs but also minimize their impact on the environment.Â
We introduce tools and frameworks to conduct life cycle assessments (LCAs) to evaluate environmental impacts of the solution, selecting eco-friendly and sustainable materials, designing for durability and energy efficiency, minimizing waste through recycling and circular design principles, mitigating or eliminating additional carbon released into the atmosphere, and creating mindfulness about the environmental benefits of the designed products or services
