What Do a Million-Dollar Space Pen and Rural Water Solutions Have in Common?
By Wayne Chia
Here’s a question — when attempting to create a solution to a problem, how often do we over-emphasize the problem itself rather than focusing on the people whose problem we are trying to solve? I would hazard a guess, more often than you think.
One of my favourite stories on product design goes like this:
When NASA first started sending astronauts into space, they realised that pens couldn’t work in space because of zero gravity and cold temperature. Hence they spent millions developing a new writing instrument that could work in zero gravity and harsh temperatures. The Russians, on the other hand, solved the problem by using a pencil.
Granted, the story is a myth (although there is a real story behind it, but the simplicity of the story stuck — one was trying to invent a writing instrument that works in space; the other was simply trying to figure out how to enable astronauts to write in space.
This leads us to the topic of human-centred design, a design and management framework that develops solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process. In other words, we should see the problem from the lens of the people who live with the challenge at hand, and allow their perspective to drive the solution design, rather than just zooming in on the technical aspects of the problem itself.
Similarly, when it comes to implementing interventions in rural developing communities (as we are), we try not to start by asking “how can we construct water solutions more effectively,” or “how can we maximise water output.” Instead, we probe more thoughtfully: “how can we improve people’s daily lives, especially when it comes to water?”
In a rural developing context, the best solution is seldom the most sophisticated. Frugal innovation suggests that simpler, cheaper solutions may indeed work better.
In the coming weeks, we will share more about how organisations and individuals can also contribute to co-creating a solution for a community using human-design principles.
If this sounds too exciting and you can’t wait till our next newsletter arrives, contact us to find out more!
This article was written by Asia P3 Hub’s Lead for Innovative Programmes, Wayne Chia.
Wayne has more than a decade of experience in innovation, product development and digital business modelling, acquired through running start-up businesses in the digital space across US, China and Southeast Asia. After his last venture Techsailor was acquired by TO THE NEW, Wayne was determined that his next steps would be to solve bigger global issues.
Today, he leads Innovative Programme at Asia P3 Hub, Asia’s first multi-sector partnership incubator. Asia P3 Hub, hosted by World Vision aims to bring governments, companies, NGOs and academia together to solve poverty issues. The model is currently being piloted in the area of water, sanitation and hygiene.
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