This document summarizes the work of STBY, a design and research company with locations in London and Amsterdam. STBY uses design and research methods to collaborate with clients on innovating and improving services. They describe past projects involving cross-country collaborations and the use of tools like Skype to facilitate remote work. STBY is currently developing a social innovation toolkit through an iterative design process involving user research in various locations and cultures. The goal is to provide development practitioners with practical tools to address social issues.

1. ..STBY... for DESIS 2013
From theory to practice: Using design & research to navigate
collaborations across countries supporting lasting changes.
London / Amsterdam
..STBY... @meghabird
Megha Wadhawan

2. ..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013

3. ..STBY... STBY is a networked company based in two
locations. We do design in combination
with research to innovate, improve existing
or create new service propositions with our
clients.
..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013

4. “But culture is rooted in ‘places’ and we wanted to access these
places not just as outsiders but as part of the community.”
..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013

5. REACH
Pittsburgh, US
Sao Paulo, BR
London, UK
Amsterdam, NL
Copenhagen, DK
Barcelona, ES
Paris, FR
Budapest, HU
Milan, IT
Moscow, RU
Astana, KZ
Delhi, IN
Tokyo, JP
Singapore, SG
Hong Kong, CN
..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013

7. Social Innovation Toolkit*
..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013
A curated set of practical tools that can support
people working in the development sector to
find new ways to develop, implement, and scale
their ideas.
Commissioned by Nesta and the Rockefeller
foundation. The project is being carried out in
partnership with our Indian partner 'Quicksand'
Bringing tried-and-tested social innovation tools to
bear on some of the key issues and opportunities
facing the development sector.

8. How to navigate this journey when there are so many
pieces that seem to move as we go through it, with team
members who are scattered around the globe?
..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013

9. Design in combination with research…
..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013
A generative role, in inspiring and enriching
concepts, and helping to develop ideas out of
contextual knowledge gained from people we meet.
For validation, research served as the evidential
foundation upon which new concepts can be
compared and measured.
The space between insights and ideas
giving deeper roots to design.

10. Designing frameworks for interactions
..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013
Opening the research process up during the course of
the project; whilst taking responsibility for delivering
timely and focused results.
Achieving the stated goals, but in a manner that’s also
sensitive to the wider context: What are the deeper
question marks this project is seeking to address?
Being inclusive and open, yet structured while
working in a transparent manner

11. Networked collaboration through design
..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013
Behavioural drivers can be more
accurately documented when local cultural
factors can be isolated and identified.
Regular, close and open collaborations mean
projects like this often feel like working as a
single entity.

12. Enabling technology
..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013
Thank God* for Skype,
Dropbox & Backpack!
*and the brilliant brains behind
them all
But technology is an enabler
not a maker of these
conversations.

13. Previous completed project
..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013
A simultaneous study in 3 separate timezones exploring how
language is used in different contexts and social groups in
China, Spain and UK.
Series of in-depth ethnographic immersions to expand.
Building a matrix of existing knowledge, developing a
framework of relevant issues, expert interviews to
focus.
Phase 2 studied Russian and Arabic, with partners in
Russia and Egypt. A similar framework was adapted to
the constraints of these non-latin languages.

14. So whats happening with the toolkit now?
The development of the toolkit has been divided
into three key phases, with the toolkit becoming
more concrete as it evolves iteratively through
each phase.
We intend to road test the tools with a global
audience of development practitioners. The next
phase of user research will the prototype toolkit
tested in a range of contexts and cultures as it
iteratively evolves into the 3rd phase of final
product design.
..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013
The toolkit is being built with the
mechanism to allow conversation, feedback
and reaction to how it takes shape meaning.

15. IDEA
CLOUD
DAY IN THE
LIFE
CUSTOMER
JOURNEYSCENARIOS
It’s got less to do with money than about
not feeling guilty. As a person, I want to
concentrate on certain things, like the
environment.
I don’t let the children drain their bath because I can
always use it for something else, like washing the
dog’s bed.
S
Eco-sensitive and act accordingly - they recycle, minimise their use of natural
resources, and feel good about doing it. Their routines are based on beliefs, not
cost, and they articulately explain why whilst remaining open to learning more.
RS
HIGH
Willingness to let
eco concerns impact
water consumption
LOW
Sensitivity to cost of
water consumption
PERSONAS
Looking back..
Probing underlying assumptions critically
Designing for interaction - need to allow things to evolve
rather than set out prescriptive procedures
Structure and project management balanced with being
open to new inputs
Creatively communicating the insights and ideas by visuals
Being curious beyond the question thats being asked
..STBY... for DESIS-UK 2013

16. Thank You.
@meghabird
London / Amsterdam
..STBY... Megha Wadhawan