Our Approach
Our human-centered approach to rural design emphasizes deep community engagement, from understanding local needs to co-creating and scaling sustainable solutions. By involving communities at every stage—Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Implement—it ensures development efforts are relevant, effective, and grounded in lived experience.
1. Empathize (Needs Assessment)
Begin by engaging with rural communities to understand their daily lives, challenges, and aspirations. Through interviews, focus groups, and observation, gather insights into local practices and socio-economic conditions.
2. Define (Problem Definition)
Analyze the collected data to uncover root causes of key issues. With community input, prioritize development needs—like clean water, education, or agriculture—and clearly define goals using programming and design methods.
3. Ideate (Solution Development)
Facilitate collaborative workshops to generate practical, culturally relevant solutions. Encourage broad idea generation, focusing on sustainability and affordability. Diverse voices help spark innovation rooted in local realities.
4. Prototype (Model and Test Solutions)
Turn ideas into simple, testable models using local resources. Pilot projects allow for feedback and adjustments, helping refine solutions before full-scale rollout. This phase emphasizes learning by doing.
5. Implement and Evaluate (Execution and Iteration)
Expand successful prototypes with local leadership and training. Continuously monitor progress and adapt strategies as needed. The focus is on sustainable impact and solutions that grow with the community.