06. IDDS at MIT
Designing technologies to improve lives
Gathering people from all over the world to resolve some of the most pressing problems in the developing world, the International Development Design Summit (IDDS) is tackling design challenges through true global and integrative thinking.
IDDS’s group of international designers are working on solving economic, environmental and social challenges that will better the world we live in. Participants from 16 countries (including Ghana, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Guatemala, Brazil, India, and Pakistan) are working in design teams to identify problems, research solutions, and build technological prototypes throughout the month of the conference.
Dreamed up by Amy Smith, an MIT professor and winner of the 2004 MacArthur Genius Grant, the goal is to create solutions to problems in the developing world through collaboration with the people who will implement and use the solutions. Summit participants are divided into teams to design technologies that address problems in different sectors. The teams are coached by sector specialists and guest speakers. During the final week of the summit, the participants showcase to the public the prototypes they created and which they will take back with them for field testing and implementation. We learned first hand that the opportunities are endless and the potential is staggering. We were proud to participate in this grand effort, by sponsoring a student in the program, opening our studio for workshops and celebrations, and coaching throughout the program. 
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