How We Work
Harnessing the power of design thinking for good
Our philosophy: Why we use Design Thinking as a tool for good
We believe that everyone has the expertise to solve challenges in their daily lives and for the future.
Therefore, we bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds to share knowledge on how to tackle these challenges from a user-centric perspective. We aim to harness the skills inherent in each of us to foster idea development.
We see ourselves as mentors rather than experts providing solutions to the pressing issues faced by the local population.
Design Thinking has the power to transform challenges into entrepreneurial solutions, creating meaningful change in form of solutions by the community for the community.
The Design Thinking Methodology
Design Thinking is a human-centered problem-solving approach, popularized by the design studio IDEO in the 1990s. In the past 25 years, it has expanded all over the world. It is used by a wide range of organizations, from small start-ups to the biggest players in the market to NGOs and government institutions. Successful teams have adopted the methodology and applied it to their most daunting challenges.
There are different frameworks for Design Thinking. We use the model which consists of 6 phases: Understand, Observe, Synthesis, Ideate, Prototype, Test.
Problem Space
The first part of the process – the empathize part – focuses on knowing the users and the problems
Phase 1 - Understand
…is about collecting and validating existing information, getting a common understanding and different perspectives on what you want to solve, and building assumptions that can later be tested and discussed with real customers or people who will be affected by the later solution.
Phase 2 - Observe
…is all about research and understanding the target audience. The objective is to talk to real or potential customers or users to gain empathy, discover their needs, wants and desires and explore their behaviours and context. This is done by talking to them, conducting interviews or through observation.
Phase 3 - Synthesis
…is about analyzing, structuring, and prioritizing all gathered information to connect the dots and to make sense of the research findings. The objective is to extract key insights and turn them into actionable opportunities. This is done by deriving personas and defining the point of view that represents the main need of a persona, hence your target group.
Solution Space
The second part of the process – the design part – focuses on creating solutions that add value to the future users.
Phase 4 - Ideate
…is all about creativity and coming up with unexpected solutions that address the customers‘ real needs and wants.
Phase 5 - Prototype
…is about making the ideas and solutions tangible and experienceable. From storytelling, role plays, and paper mock-ups to building the idea with Lego – everything that allows you to interact with your target group is allowed.
Phase 6 - Test
…the objective is to test your prototypes with users and customers to receive feedback and learn to understand if the solution properly addresses their needs. It’s about validating assumptions and the desirability of the solution before investing more budget in the development.
Our Program Tracks
Impact Week’s diversity does not just stem from the people and cultures involved but also from the distinct challenges faced by each local community. As an example, social inequality and criminal activities continue to confront entrepreneurs in Colombia, while Rwanda is facing a growing economy but struggling with unsuitable infrastructure to support this growth. To better understand and address the diverse regional challenges, we identify overarching topic areas together with our local partner and structure them into thematic tracks. We always align with our goals with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
