A framework for teaching Design for Social Impact

Figure 4: Using wide spaces for each concepts

DEFINING BROAD LEVEL CONCEPTS

We emphasize on the notion of brainstorming on multiple ideas by not going too deep into it. We call this the divergence part. Then we look at the idea and converge it to leave out the features of the idea that do not fit into the system. This allows the idea to becoming something more concrete.  This is the convergence part. This wave like process goes on till the idea is refined to core features, and then the third part, namely the Integration with the system part takes place. We call this the Divergence-Convergence-Integration (DCI) way of thinking [Figure 6].

Figure 6 : the Divergence-convergence-Integration technique

Broad level concepts in the project

Using this DCI technique, we kept converging and diverging in our designing process. Each time we decided something, right after we enlarged our field of study to explore every aspect of it and add another batch of inputs. And each time we got enough of them, we narrowed down to a few newer elements. Of course we narrowed down a little more every time so that we can at one point come up with a final project idea.

Selecting is right product is the key, since comparing allows to determine which idea is consistent. This is validated against the system and checked for its congruence to the needs of different stakeholders and their responsibilities too.

Figure 5: Broad level concept sketches

After doing the above exercise, we came up with two different concepts. One being a solar tv for education through videos and the other being a community driven personalized education piggy bank [Figure 5].

CREATING SYSTEMS TOWARDS SOLVING A PROBLEM

We wish to propose the notion of designing products that are manifested in systems governed by the sociological and epistemological construct of the social space.

By understanding this relation the social designer can look to designing products that have a good social impact.

The question however is what is the system and how does one design (construct) it from the social space? This can be understood by understanding the various components of the system as explained by the Activity theory. Bonnie Nardi’s work provides a good understanding of its usage in design [13] [Figure 7].

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