102 | Putting Humans at the Center of Design

IDEO.org launched as a 501(c)(3) from the global design and innovation firm IDEO in 2011, and like IDEO, the studio practices human-centered design. In addition to actually making things to improve the lives of people, they are working to get the social sector at large to take a human-centered approach to problem solving too. The group designs products, services, and programs that address poverty and inequality across multiple sectors.

The Global Health practice focuses on ensuring women of all ages can make informed choices about their family’s health and wellbeing. The complications of pregnancy are a leading cause of death for adolescent girls across the developing world. For many more, having a child too soon means dropping out of school and continuing an intergenerational cycle of poverty. 

The Equity practice supports marginalized communities across the U.S. to break cycles of poverty and inequality. 

The Prosperity practice works to create tools and services that strengthen livelihoods and help people build financial resilience. 

The Transformation practice helps organizations evolve to meet emerging development and humanitarian challenges.

In addition, Ideo.org designs and produces guides and tutorials so that partners and aspiring changemakers can utilize their approach. 

In just ten years, their interventions have reached over 68 million people around the world. They have reached 1.1 million people through services including the first customer service platform for refugees, 53 million through informational campaigns such as those that raise awareness of birth justice, 9 million through digital and physical products such as a mobile money app for Bangladeshis, and 1 million through their design kit platform, which teaches tools designed to empower human-centered problem solvers. 

We were fortunate enough to catch up with Daniel Feldman and Adam Reineck of Ideo.org on our podcast Social Design Insights. Have a listen at the link above.