Commit

Progressing on from Project Three, and in discussion with secondary stakeholders, the project is still considered viable and valuable.

As mentioned in the blog post on the 28th March, the nagging question is that of being compelled to do something about this, assuming the intervention is successful. Exploring the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification data on the deeply entrenched nature of food insecurity in Malawi was an added motivation.

As mentioned in the blog post on the 13th April, the specific contingent environment is clear and focused. Also, there is an emerging set of critical success factors. Both are dependent on design thinking.

Thinking about design thinking.

Frustratingly, we touched only very briefly on design thinking as part of Unit 2. This was a missed opportunity so will revisit this in detail in the coming weeks as foundational work. Will explore the Design Council’s Double Diamond model, IDEO’s resources, Strategyzer’s resources. Crucially, there is a clear need to avoid making the role and process of designing / design practice as exclusive to anyone. They must be adopted and owned as actions by primary stakeholders.

Thinking about non / multi / cross / between disciplines.

Another challenge is building out a wider, adaptable network to bring this to life. Work in progress.

Refined and reflected upon research question.

How can a standardized business model help subsistence farmers become self-sustaining cash crop producers?

To be effective, a business model would need to be co-developed with users and capacity building would need to take part in small groups to truly transfer and embed knowledge.

At this stage.

This is a viable project. Although risky and resource heavy, there are no show-stoppers. The challenge for the next stage is in engaging secondary stakeholders and, through them, primary stakeholders.

As noted in the previous blog post 28th March, the compulsion to do the intervention being developed could morph into getting involved afterwords to bring the commercial outcome to life. From a research perspective, this introduces a whole set of risks and biases that I will need to potentially manage.

https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/our-resources/the-double-diamond/
https://www.ideou.com/en-gb/pages/design-thinking?srsltid=AfmBOoqWF2tleXA021XKhbF9bcEgZtRqTYOloAnDOMczXLn1rwpzayqQ
https://www.ipcinfo.org/
https://www.strategyzer.com/