Using the capability approach to detect design opportunities

When developing products and services to improve the well-being of the multidimensional poor, designers need deep contextual insight. However, literature does not specify which topics to discuss or which questions to ask. We used Sen’s capability approach to develop question categories and specific questions, and we selected tools to support...

Approaching design for development from a capability perspective

To improve the well-being of disadvantaged and marginalized populations by product design, deep contextual insight is required. However, literature does not specify which topics to discuss or which questions to ask. To address this issue, we used Sen’s capability approach to develop question categories and adopted a semi-structured interview...

Making the Capability Approach Accessible to Designers – Report of an On-going Exploration

Towards scaling up grassroots innovations in India: A preliminary framework

Grassroots innovations (GI) include need-based products or services that are created by individuals or groups within local communities. These products and services have potential to contribute to the quality of an individual’s life, and on a larger scale contribute to the development of a community by creating new business activities. The...