Consultancy Services For Design Thinking and Human-Centered Design at African Development Solutions (Adeso)

Project: DEPP - Disasters and Emergencies Preparedness Program

Position Type: Short-Term Consultancy

Study/Assessment Topic: Consultancy Services for Design Thinking and Human-Centered Design

Position Location: Nairobi, Kenya with travel to Marsabit and Garissa Counties

Duration: One (1) Month

Reporting To: Project Director - DEPP Lab

Working With: The Innovations Lead

Starting Date: Immediately

Application Deadline: 25th July, 2018

Vacancy Contact: Please send applications to consultancy@adesoafrica.org – Adeso will only respond to short-listed applicants.

PROJECT SUMMARY

Adeso is leading in the Implementation of the Disasters and Emergencies Preparedness Program (DEPP) Innovation Lab, a 22 months’ project under the AIM (Adeso, iHub MasterCard) Consortium. The objective of this program is to increase preparedness and resilience of disaster-prone communities in Garissa and Marsabit counties of Kenya by drawing on their deep knowledge of pastoralist.

The Consortium has formed Maarifa Kona community innovation labs in Garissa and Marsabit where rural communities are participating to find ideas, prototype and scale innovations for commercialization. It is from this background that a number of community innovators are engaged with the labs to refine and prototype their ideas.

BACKGROUND FOR CONSULTANCY

Adeso is leading in the Implementation of Disasters and Emergencies Preparedness Program (DEPP) Innovation Lab is a 22 months’ project under the AIM (Adeso, iHub MasterCard) Consortium. The objective of this program is to increase preparedness and resilience of disaster-prone communities in Garissa and Marsabit counties of Kenya by drawing on their deep knowledge of pastoralist.

The Consortium has formed Maarifa Kona community innovations labs in Garissa and Marsabit where rural communities are participating to find ideas, prototype and scale innovations for commercialization. It is from this background that a number of community innovators are engaged with the labs to refine and prototype their ideas.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY

• To provide Innovators with basic design thinking process skills;
• To inspire change at all stages of the Innovators’ product development through the delivery of exciting written, oral, and visual presentations;
• Help the Innovators approach problems from a human perspective, with the objective of designing innovative and desirable products, services or experiences;
• To design basic design thinking curriculum guide for the Innovators on financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills development;
• To help the Innovators generate practical results through prototyping so that potential users can test them and provide feedback – long before the completion or launch.

METHODOLOGY

This consultancy, through collaborative interaction of multi-disciplinary and decision-capable teams, will provide a flexible workspace for collaborative work and workflow. Innovators will be subjected to real and one-on-one approach of design thinking strategies in a formal workshop conducted by the Consultant. Each Innovator will be allowed to reflect on their innovation process and involve design thinking approach to evaluate pivots that may arise through feedback.

SCOPE OF WORK

The training will be undertaken in phases within the counties of Nairobi, Garissa and Marsabit on different occasions. This will be an incremental training that is basically meant to provide and build the capacity-design thinking processes of community Innovators.

CONSULTANCY PERIOD

The consultancy period will be based on call basis for specific dates of training schedules based on the counties within a period of up to one (1) Month.

DELIVERABLES

• Design thinking curriculum in both hard and soft copies.
• Basic design thinking process and human-centered design training.
• Training report demonstrating a participatory training approach and a list of post training actions for improving design thinking process.
• Generated practical results from Innovators’ led design.
• Design thinking strategy for the Innovators.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Association, Marketing, Economics, Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Psychology, Information Science, or any other related field. Equivalent work experience is also acceptable for the position.
• Minimum four (4) years of experience in design thinking and human-centered approach and solutions.
• Experience in provision of design thinking approach and human centered design.
• Experience in facilitation/training skills/ especially in adult learning methodologies.
• Knowledge and experience of community engagement.
• Demonstrated excellent training delivery analytical, writing and editing skills.
• Prior working experience with social and humanitarian innovation design thinking methodology is desirable.
• Excellent written and spoken English and Swahili skills.
• Good presentation and communication skills.

COPYRIGHT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

In consideration of the fees paid, the Consultant expressly assigns to Adeso any copyright arising from the works the consultant produces while executing this contract. All images (whether used for online or print purposes) must however bear the consultant’s photo credit, as specified by international intellectual property rights. The consultant may not use, reproduce or otherwise disseminate or authorize others to use, reproduce or disseminate such works without prior consent from Adeso.