Design Partnerships
We create and foster Design Partnerships where students partner with local implementation partners to complete series of 1 to 2 year design projects. Have an idea for one? Please contact us!
About the Design Partnerships
These partnerships consist of small groups of students working with an implementation partner to either create or adapt technology that will help a specific community. An implementation partner could be an international or domestic NGO, company, or government agency that has local ties to the target community. Teams actively research the problem they are addressing and through heavy collaboration with their implementation partner, find an innovative solution. They then thoroughly test their design on campus and make any improvements necessary until they not only complete the task but also optimize their design for the specific context of usage. By completing this design process from start to finish, students learn firsthand the skills needed for designing solutions for developing nations as well as gain the logistical experience of completing an engineering project with an outside partner.
Check out our project pages for examples of past and current work by students in DDI.
Why is an Implementation Partner so important for the Student Design Projects?
Any product or new technology must take into account the local culture, environment, and unique needs of the community. However, an in-depth understanding of these cultural and environmental perspectives can take years, if not a lifetime, to build. NGOs that work closely with the target communities oftentimes have this depth of understanding and by working closely with these local NGOs as implementation partners, we can integrate their knowledge of the community into the product that we design. This helps to ensure that any given product has a chance to succeed in the local environment. When the product meets the combined standards of both the student team and the implementation partner, it is then the job of the implementation partner to produce and distribute the product as needed.
About the Design Partnerships
These partnerships consist of small groups of students working with an implementation partner to either create or adapt technology that will help a specific community. An implementation partner could be an international or domestic NGO, company, or government agency that has local ties to the target community. Teams actively research the problem they are addressing and through heavy collaboration with their implementation partner, find an innovative solution. They then thoroughly test their design on campus and make any improvements necessary until they not only complete the task but also optimize their design for the specific context of usage. By completing this design process from start to finish, students learn firsthand the skills needed for designing solutions for developing nations as well as gain the logistical experience of completing an engineering project with an outside partner.
Check out our project pages for examples of past and current work by students in DDI.
Why is an Implementation Partner so important for the Student Design Projects?
Any product or new technology must take into account the local culture, environment, and unique needs of the community. However, an in-depth understanding of these cultural and environmental perspectives can take years, if not a lifetime, to build. NGOs that work closely with the target communities oftentimes have this depth of understanding and by working closely with these local NGOs as implementation partners, we can integrate their knowledge of the community into the product that we design. This helps to ensure that any given product has a chance to succeed in the local environment. When the product meets the combined standards of both the student team and the implementation partner, it is then the job of the implementation partner to produce and distribute the product as needed.
Workshops and Design Competitions
DDI will soon be hosting a series of design workshops and design competitions concerning different areas in Development work where experts come in and talk about the technical details and then actually build something with you.
Participate or help plan! These areas include:
- Sustainable energy workshop series
- Health and medicine workshop series
- Water/Sanitation workshop series
- $500 house design competition
- $1 pair of eyeglasses competition
- $50 0.1 kW refrigerator competition
About the Workshops
Each workshop focuses on a particular issue affecting the developing world, such as energy, sanitation, or healthcare, and is taught by an expert in that particular field. Attendees will not only get hands-on experience in the topic (such as building part of a wind turbine to learn about sustainable energy), but will learn it in the context of working outside of conventional environments. These workshops put emphasize on recognizing the specific conditions you are working under and encouraging innovative solutions to site-specific challenges.
Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up to date on workshops, design competitions, and new project groups :
Participate or help plan! These areas include:
- Sustainable energy workshop series
- Health and medicine workshop series
- Water/Sanitation workshop series
- $500 house design competition
- $1 pair of eyeglasses competition
- $50 0.1 kW refrigerator competition
About the Workshops
Each workshop focuses on a particular issue affecting the developing world, such as energy, sanitation, or healthcare, and is taught by an expert in that particular field. Attendees will not only get hands-on experience in the topic (such as building part of a wind turbine to learn about sustainable energy), but will learn it in the context of working outside of conventional environments. These workshops put emphasize on recognizing the specific conditions you are working under and encouraging innovative solutions to site-specific challenges.
Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up to date on workshops, design competitions, and new project groups :
Get Involved
If you're interested in getting involved or have question, just contact us or one of the board members!