IDEOorg

IDEO.org is a nonprofit design organization affiliated with the global design and innovation firm IDEO. It focuses on applying human-centered design to social problems, aiming to create solutions that are both impactful and scalable. The organization works worldwide on issues related to education, health, economic development, water and sanitation, and gender equality, among others.

Founded in 2011 as the charitable arm of IDEO, IDEO.org partners with local organizations, governments, and foundations to address poverty and inequality. Its projects emphasize close collaboration with communities, stakeholders, and end users to ensure that solutions meet real needs and can be adopted in low-resource settings. The work seeks not only to pilot innovative ideas but also to scale successful approaches through ongoing partnerships and capacity building.

The organization employs a human-centered design process that typically includes empathizing with users, defining core problems, ideating potential solutions, prototyping, and testing in real-world contexts. Prototyping is paired with field research and iterative learning to refine concepts. IDEO.org emphasizes co-creation with local actors and aims to develop sustainable, replicable models rather than one-off interventions.

IDEO.org has produced open resources and toolkits to share methodologies with the broader community, and it has engaged in collaborations with NGOs, foundations, and government entities. It has also supported community platforms and design education efforts, including publishing guides on human-centered design practices. As part of IDEO, IDEO.org funds its work through philanthropic grants, partnerships, and client engagements, maintaining a focus on social impact through design.