“Of the world’s total population of 6.5 billion, 5.8 billion people, or 90%, have little or no access to most of the products and services many of us take for granted; in fact, nearly half do not have regular access to food, clean water, or shelter.” – Design for the other 90%

These are startling statistics, despite the more socially aware we become each day. How then, can design become a dynamic force in saving and transforming lives, at home and around the world?

Recently I went to see my family in Ecuador. Even though I was excited and eager to get back to my country, I was already beginning to contemplate the design challenges that I would face when I returned, such as: poor transportation, a mediocre health care system, extreme poverty, disease, out-dated (and/or lack of access to) technology, and the list goes on.

Many third world countries still exist under conditions in which human-centered design approaches are not leveraged, underdeveloped or not supported by the government or private organizations. As a result of this oversight, many issues continue to rise, like diseases, homelessness, environmental degradation, and rampant corruption. As I watch these things happening, my mind races with ways that design could help remedy these woes. If only designers and CEOs in Ecuador were better prepared, trained and educated, then they would be equipped to identify and creatively solve complex challenges and help improve life for everyone.

“The majority of the world’s designers focus all their efforts on developing products and services exclusively for the richest 10% of the world’s customers. Nothing less than a revolution in design is needed to reach the other 90%.”  
- Dr. Paul Polak, International Development Enterprises

One remarkable example of how design thinking and human centered approaches are helping to solve critical challenges is the case of the creation of the Q Drum which is a rollable water container design for developing countries to carry clean heavy loads of water through different terrains.

Innovation requires design thinking to explore and uncover new opportunities and ideas. By using Human Centered approaches like Ethnographic research, prototyping, and collaboration, we can capture more precise insights, encourage unrestricted thinking, create smarter outcomes and deliver user experiences that improve quality in organizations, businesses and everyday life.

These valuable methods and approaches are currently put into practice by many US companies, such as IDEO, Ziba Design, Adaptive Path, Doblin, Design for the other 90%, and Bruce Mau & the Institute without Boundaries. My hope is that the work of these companies will be used to inspire and change the way we think, consume, and help the other 90% of the population. For Instance, IDEO has created an open-source toolkit that uses Human Centered Design tips, methods and techniques to solve and inspire change for the creation of new world-wide solutions.

Ultimately, I hope to see first hand the effects of design thinking and Human centered approaches in my own Ecuador to help frame problems, uncover opportunities and solve complex design challenges.