Social impact organizations Hera partners with – nonprofits, governments, NGOs – all exist to solve problems. Whether it’s working toward equity and inclusion, climate change, or public health – a design thinking approach is an innovative path toward success.
Design for social impact is based on tenants of design thinking. It includes a set of strategies and techniques that focus on the process used to achieve a result, as well as the result itself.
When a product is created, designers think about ways to make it work best for the end user. To do this successfully, they use a repeatable process to discover what consumers want/need and then iterate to make it better. This process helps get them to their end result – a highly sought after product that delights their consumers. An example of a simple design thinking process could look like:
Brainstorm Ideas > Test > Gather Feedback > Evaluate Results > Revise > Repeat
What’s great about design thinking is that it encourages problem-solvers to be creative, to explore, to support alternatives. And what’s unique is that it requires designers to look at problems/issues through the lens of the consumers – or in the case of social impact organizations – from the lens of those being served.
This human-centered approach drives innovation by providing a practical and replicable way to solve problems. Powerful stuff!
Design for social impact takes this concept a step further by mindfully incorporating the systems that contribute to the problem into strategy discussions (i.e. social, political, economic). By analyzing power structures – using observation and feedback – your strategizing can more effectively identify opportunities to benefit those marginalized by said systems.
Just as a product developer asks “why” a user needs this product or service – a social impact leader understands the core issues or root causes of a problem so they can design solutions that work for clients/consumers/marginalized communities (they don’t just apply a Band-Aid to treat a symptom).
How to Get Started with Design for Social Impact
The best place to start is by defining the challenge you intend to solve. Get super clear on this! Work through it until you can write your goal in a single sentence – a sentence that can be used to generate ideas and spark a robust brainstorm.
A good sentence will
drive you toward your desired impact;
allow space for multiple solutions;
account for constraints and context.
You’ll know you’ve got a good sentence when your team can come up with multiple solutions in just a few minutes. This is a sign that you’re ready to move on to the next step….creating a project plan. Your project/program/operational plan will include a timeline, resources needed and resources available, and action steps. Your plan will be dynamic and will change over time as you test, gather feedback, evaluate, and revise. If you think you’re ready to use design for social impact, Hera is here to help guide you. Contact us to talk about ways we can help you achieve your mission and vision.
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