Human Centered Design Toolkit from IDEO

A free innovation guide for NGOs and Social Enterprises

For years, organizations have used Human-Centered Design (HCD) to arrive at innovative business solutions. In collaboration with the Gates Foundation and non-profit groups IDE, ICRW, and Heifer International, IDEO has specially adapted this process for NGOs and social enterprises that work with impoverished communities around the world. The resulting HCD Toolkit helps organizations understand people’s needs in new ways, find innovative solutions to meet these needs, and deliver solutions with financial sustainability in mind.

Download it here >

Design to Improve Life (INDEX Peoples' Choice Awards)

Browse the really cool projects (including Kiva.org!) and vote on your favorite designs

Yay Denmark for hosting this cool award!

(photo: the 700$ house)

(thanks to Aaron Sklar for the link)

Humanity-Centered Design: IDEO's Aaron Sklar Speaks About How and Why....

IDEO's Aaron Sklar speaks about the process of human-centered design and how it can be applied to solving the 'important' problems of the world...

He is speaking in the SoCap09 conference Sept 1-3 09 in San Francisco, which you should attend if you can...unfortunately I will be out of town. Ironically, doing user research for my current user-centric project!

This video really got me thinking about how to apply the methodologies I use every day in my work as an interaction designer to do something more...how shall I say...'important' for other humans out there. You will definitely hear me using the term, "humanity-centererd design" from now on!

Usability Week 2009 Conference in Berlin Nov 15-20

A great opportunity to learn more about usability and user-centered design, or to get inspired for your current project.

It's too late for the Sydney one but there's still:

Edinburgh
Sep 14-18

Las Vegas
Oct 11-17

Berlin
Nov 15-20

I'm going to try to aim for the one in Berlin. I can't believe it's been 20 years since the fall of the wall, I remember that day so clearly!

http://www.nngroup.com/events/

Maker Faire Africa!

Can't wait to hear more about it. http://makerfaireafrica.com/

First impressions video can be seen here. And photos here.

Maker Faire Africa (MFA) www.makerfaireafrica.com, a celebration of African ingenuity, innovation and invention, will take place August 14-16 at the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT in Ghana's capital, Accra. This event will showcase ICT, robotics, green machinery and software development. Maker Faire Africa asks the question, “What happens when you put the drivers of ingenious concepts from Mali with those from Ghana and Kenya, and add resources to the mix?"

Specifically, Maker Faire Africa will take an approach that will achieve these principal aims:

* Brighten the light on local examples of the “fabrication” ethos
* Provide mechanisms to incubate these innovators and their products to a point where they can be taken to market
* Connect refined plans to disseminate innovations with venture finance
* Inventions that can help with reliable green electricity
* How to use robotics to solve every day problems