havedesign

Havedesign is a term used in design discourse to describe a practice that emphasizes leveraging existing assets and capabilities of people and communities in the design process. The central idea is to focus on what people have—their skills, networks, tools, and local knowledge—rather than what they lack, with the aim of producing solutions that are feasible, scalable, and empowering. The approach is aligned with asset-based community development and participatory design, and it often serves as a counterpoint to deficit-oriented design paradigms.

The term emerged in design discourse during the late 2000s and 2010s as practitioners sought more sustainable and inclusive methods. It is not tied to a single organization but rather to a family of practices that value co-creation and context-specific interventions.

Principles include an asset orientation, stakeholder co-design, inclusivity and accessibility, humility, and iterative experimentation. Projects typically begin with asset mapping and dialogue rather than surveys that only identify needs.

Common techniques include asset mapping, co-design workshops, rapid prototyping, modular systems, and open-source documentation. The emphasis is on leveraging existing resources and facilitating local ownership.

Havedesign has been applied in product and service design, urban and community contexts, education, and digital services. Critics warn that it can underplay structural barriers or overestimate what communities can mobilize, so it is usually combined with other design perspectives.

See also: asset-based community development; participatory design; inclusive design; user-centered design.