Social Design Framework

Introduction

“Think globally, act locally” — this is an important guideline that I follow. For years, I’ve been preparing to support, design, and operate an initiative that truly has an impact on my immediate environment. It seems like it’s finally underway. It took 43 years of my life, 20 years of professional experience, 7 years of individual therapy, and relationship systems. This has been an incremental evolution on my part.

I have a related article:: What designers can do instead of saving the world, which I’m continuing now. I hope that in a few years, I can report on the successes as the leader of a nonprofit organization.

TLDR: This is a draft that is very ambitious yet sometimes vague in detail. The essence is a thought-provoking, inspiring catalyst.

The Social Design Framework and Playbook is an initiative that benefits both nonprofit organizations and society. Its goal is to support more efficient operation and the successful achievement of social missions, while providing simplified tools and strategies for nonprofit organizations. The project has successfully started with a Social Design Jam Workshop and plans to further develop the playbook and support nonprofit organizations in the future. The key is community collaboration and knowledge sharing in a market with limited resources. The application of comprehensive strategies and tools helps in the sustainable development and more efficient operation of the nonprofit sector.

Mission

To impact support for the needy through nonprofit organizations by sharing design thinking and for-profit knowledge. Our goal is to create a service design playbook that assists nonprofit organizations in strategic problem-solving and contributes to the more effective achievement of their social missions.

Target Audience

Nonprofit organizations, for-profit experts, and companies that want to contribute to solving social issues and better support those in need.

The Problem

Nonprofit organizations often have limited resources and operate in a competitive market. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a comprehensive strategy and apply efficient tools for their successful operation.

The challenge

We would like to solve is a resource-intensive and works only in the long term. In fact, we face and will continue to face similar problems as the nonprofit organizations we aim to support. This is good because we have an external perspective and professional knowledge, but we will also gain real-world experience.

Participants

The collaboration of Appy (Tünde Schranc, Judit Oprics), UX Budapest (Peter Klein, Csongor Fabian), and Humanize Studio (Gy?rgy Káli), with the support of for-profit partners. Mentors and civil experts also participate in the project.

Roles

• Peter ???? Klein — Mission-Driven Design Strategist
• Schranc Tünde — Nonprofit manager
• Judit Oprics — Nonprofit leading consultant
• Gy?rgy Káli — Co-Organizer, Facilitator
• Csongor Fabian — Co-Organizer, Facilitator

Background

3 months of preparation, interviews with design organizations, ongoing discussions, venue search, scheduling, sponsorships, and strategy development.

Social Design Jam Workshop

The goal of the social design jam was to validate a concept. Our hypothesis was that design thinking helps nonprofit organizations operate more sustainably.

During the workshop, there was efficient collaboration and knowledge sharing among 16 civil organizations and nearly 60 workshop participants. Several experts from large companies also contributed to the success of the event.

Over the two-day event, we used the “Chaos to Clarity” method as planned, in which we knew that at the beginning, participants did not know what was happening, so we only told them the goal and the end result, gradually providing information step by step.

Product design — and life in general — is an empirical proof that we cannot do anything really good on the first try, so we ran two things simultaneously. We fine-tuned the validation of the concept and the social design jam as a format.

Teamwork and collaboration are a separate chapter that we focused on a lot. I will share some interesting insights:

Positives

1. Continuous focus and collaboration

It was great to see that the teams remained focused throughout the process and were able to work together. This is essential for such an event.

2. Inclusion of nonprofit team members

It was very positive that nonprofit helpers were immediately included in the teams. This shows their openness and collaboration skills. In several cases, newcomers from the outside were promoted to leadership roles.

3. Precision and organization

The work presented by the teams was well-organized and presented clearly. This helped us and the jury to follow their thought process.

4. Quick understanding

Their quick comprehension and concentration on the essence during interviews were to their advantage. This helped them gain a deep understanding of the problem at hand.

5. Frankness

Speaking up is extremely important during brainstorming and creative work. We were pleased that they were not afraid to express their opinions. This contributed to productive communication and the development of ideas. Several nonprofit organizations thanked others for speaking up about what they couldn’t.

Areas for Improvement

1. Division of teamwork

Although they worked together continuously, it was sometimes noticeable that they didn’t divide into subgroups and didn’t always share information. This could be further improved to enhance their collaboration.

2. Questions and communication with organizers

It’s important for participants to ask questions immediately if something is unclear. This helps in resolving issues quickly and working more efficiently. Sometimes, it was only half a day later that it became clear if something wasn’t understood, despite us constantly visiting and asking.

Methodologies

• Design Thinking
• Service Design
• Concept Validation
• User-Centered Approach
• Prototyping
• Agile Development
• SWOT Analysis
• Double Diamond
• Pilot Testing

Resource Requirements

Material Resources

• Physical tools
• Raw materials
• Technology
• Infrastructure

Human Resources

• Labor force
• Human knowledge and expertise
• Creativity

Financial Resources

• Funds
• Financing
• Investments

Design Principles

Our design principles are centered around the primary principles of consistency and simplicity. These principles encourage our designers to prioritize user experience alongside innovation and creativity. The applied design principles should be scalable and reusable for effective application in future projects.

The “Baby steps” approach means that we take small steps throughout the design process to reduce risk and easily modify plans if necessary. Thinking in processes and the “Show and tell” principles help ensure that design isn’t just theoretical but works effectively in practice, with efficient communication between designers and users.

The “Lateral thinking” emphasizes that during the design process, different perspectives and domains should be considered to gain a comprehensive understanding of the problem and open up new avenues for design.

Roadmap

6 months: Initial development and testing

• Design thinking and research on the needs of nonprofit organizations
• Concept validation and prototype development
• Organization of the Social Design Jam Workshop
• Creation and testing of prototype playbooks
• Pilot testing with 5–7 nonprofit organizations

1 year: Introduction and refinement

• Introduction of the first playbook for nonprofit organizations
• Gathering user feedback and making iterations
• Establishing business partnerships for further distribution
• Securing funding for playbook development and expansion

5 years: Expansion and international presence

• Widespread introduction and promotion of the playbook on an international level
• Expansion and introduction to international markets
• Establishing additional business partnerships and relationships globally
• Increasing the number of nonprofit organizations using the playbook

10 years: Sustainability and social impact

• Stable operation and sustainability of the playbook
• Further development and expansion of the playbook
• Strengthening social and environmental responsibility as part of the project
• Involvement of the ecosystem and donors in maintaining and expanding the playbook
• Increasing the number of customers and users to enhance the playbook’s impact

Possible Obstacles

Even with a good understanding of the design framework, several obstacles can hinder the project’s success. The challenges to overcome may include

• Limited resources: Nonprofit organizations have limited budgets, which might make it challenging for them to invest in design-related tools and services.
• Resistance to change: It can be difficult to convince nonprofit organizations to adopt new design methodologies and tools.
• Competing priorities: Nonprofits often face various immediate needs and may not prioritize design thinking in their operations.
• Inefficiency: The complexity of nonprofit operations and their diverse objectives may result in an inefficient application of design frameworks.
• Lack of expertise: Nonprofit organizations may not have access to individuals with expertise in design thinking and service design.
• Funding: Securing funding for the development and distribution of the playbook can be a significant challenge.
• Legal and ethical concerns: Working with nonprofit organizations requires sensitivity to legal and ethical considerations, such as data privacy and donor confidentiality.
• Sustainability: Ensuring the long-term sustainability of the project and playbook is crucial.

These obstacles will require careful planning, collaboration, and creative solutions to overcome.

The Strategy and the Playbook

At the core of the comprehensive strategy is the sharing of design thinking and for-profit knowledge to assist nonprofit organizations in more efficient operations and the achievement of their social missions. The playbook is one of the key elements that help nonprofit organizations with strategic problem-solving. The standardized playbook aids the work of nonprofit organizations, especially in a resource-constrained market, and simplifies the essence of service design.

In the development of the playbook, we start from fundamental problems and then refine the framework to create numerous playbooks, each containing as many as a hundred elements. The goal is to serve the relevant areas and issues as precisely and efficiently as possible, and to deliver these playbook elements to nonprofit organizations in a standardized and easily understandable format.

As part of the strategy, optimal resource utilization also plays a crucial role. Establishing a national excellence coordinator and strategic center to coordinate and direct resources is vital.

The essence is for the public, nonprofit organizations, and resources to collaborate in more efficiently distributing resources, ensuring that every affected area receives the necessary support. The aim is to fill gaps and strengthen community solidarity for the development of the nonprofit sector.

You want to engage stakeholders through resources, coordinated by nonprofit organizations, and involve the public in the process. If you wish to fill in the (v) deficiency, you can use the following formula for this purpose:

v = (n — x) * z

Where:

• v is the resource deficit you want to fill.
• n is the population.
• x is the number of nonprofit organizations.
• z is the quantity of resources.

This formula symbolizes that the resource deficit is calculated by subtracting the number of nonprofit organizations (x) from the population (n) and then multiplying the result by the quantity of resources (z). It demonstrates how much resources are needed to fill the resource gap, and this is achieved through the collaboration of the population and nonprofit organizations.

The playbook’s strategy is to first create playbooks for 5–10 fundamental problems. Then, by refining the framework, you can potentially have hundreds of playbook elements, which are combined into a single playbook item.

Playbook elements

1. Defining Objectives: Clearly state the purpose of this playbook.
2. Identifying the Target Audience: Who is affected by this specific problem?
3. Situation Description: In what situation is this playbook intended to be used?
4. Roles and Responsibilities: Define the necessary roles and responsibilities within the team.
5. Preparation: What preparations are needed to address the problem effectively?
6. Step-by-Step Guide: Articulate specific actions to be taken, providing detailed instructions step by step.
7. Timeline and Milestones: Establish a timeline for each step and define significant milestones.
8. Communication Plan: Define communication rules and guidelines for implementing the playbook. Specify who needs to be communicated with, when, and what should be discussed.
9. Handling Unexpected Situations: Address potential extra challenges or issues and suggest responses to them.
10. Resources and Tools: List the resources, tools, or materials required for successful execution.
11. Testing and Verification: Describe the procedures for testing and verifying the process.
12. Documentation: Document the results of each step.
13. Feedback and Improvement: Provide a mechanism for team members and stakeholders to gather feedback for future enhancements.
14. Review and Approval: Determine the approval processes required.
15. Measurement and Monitoring: Specify how progress will be tracked and which metrics will be used for assessing success.
16. Closure and Evaluation: Summarize the execution of the playbook and evaluate its effectiveness.
17. Learnings: Share your experiences and observations from creating the playbook.

Stages of Nonprofit Resource Needs

The fulfillment of resource needs for nonprofit organizations involves several stages, effectively supported by the playbook format. The initial preparatory stage involves critical steps like research and needs assessment, followed by goal setting and strategy development. Acquiring pro bono expertise is essential during this phase.

In the execution stage, nonprofit organizations focus on fundraising and resource mobilization as their primary tasks. They begin executing the previously set goals and implementing projects.

In the closing stage, evaluation and feedback are crucial steps where experiences are gathered. Subsequently, development and iterations follow to enable nonprofit organizations to continue efficiently managing their resource needs and achieve their social missions.

Preparatory Stage

• Research and Needs Assessment
• Defining Objectives
• Developing Strategy
• Acquiring Pro Bono Expertise

Execution Stage

• Fundraising and Resource Mobilization
• Goal Execution
• Project Implementation

Closing Stage

• Evaluation and Feedback
• Gathering Experiences
• Development and Iterations

Playbook Conclusions

Based on the summary, the playbook has potential value in supporting nonprofit organizations, particularly in improving their efficiency and strategic problem-solving. While there are challenges such as managing the depth of content and maintaining professional balance, current feedback suggests that the project can move forward and further refine the playbook. Both professional support and tools are crucial for the sustainable development and improved operation of the nonprofit sector. Further development of the material and practical pilot testing can be important steps in the future.

Next Steps

The next step is to standardize the playbook so that any nonprofit organization can easily use it, thus increasing its effectiveness in problem-solving. In the future, there are plans to continue collaboration and create the complete playbook for nonprofit organizations.