The Social Innovator's Toolkit

Wednesday, January 27, 2016, 9 a.m. - Noon

Hosted at North Park University, Chicago, IL

Free Workshop - RSVP Required

Thank you for your interest. Registration for this workshop is now closed.

(Please, no more than 2 individuals per organization)

About this Session:

Human-centered design is a methodology for creating products and services from the perspective of the service recipient, whether that be a donor, client or volunteer. Human-centered design is a great tool for nonprofits seeking to solve a problem. The process helps you:

• Target beneficiaries more specifically
• Address underlying needs rather than symptoms
• Test ideas quickly and affordably, and ultimately create more innovative and impactful programs

Explore examples of how using human-centered design can create social impact, and learn why developing more than one solution (i.e. prototyping) is a practical tool for gathering feedback on potential innovations and programs.

Who Should Participate: Anyone seeking a new trial and error tool for addressing an organizational challenge

About the Presenters: George Aye is the co-founder and principal at Greater Good Studio where he leads the design discipline, overseeing interaction, graphic, program and service design. Previously, he spent seven years at global innovation firm IDEO before being hired as the first human-centered designer at the Chicago Transit Authority. George is a tenure-track assistant professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he teaches product design and social innovation. He is a frequent speaker and workshop facilitator. George has advised leaders at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, the Chicago Department of Public Health, Impact Engine, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. He has a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Bournemouth University, UK.

Sara Cantor Aye co-founded Greater Good Studio (GGS) to bring human-centered design to overlooked problems and underserved people. Sara leads the research practice at GGS, creating learning experiences that engage clients and communities. Sara was previously research director at innovation firm IA Collaborative, where she designed solutions for a wide range of strategic challenges. She speaks regularly on designing for social impact and guest lectures at the Kellogg School of Management. Sara has worked with executive leadership at LISC Chicago, 826 National, Reading in Motion, Metropolitan Tenants Association and Chicago Public Libraries. She holds a master’s degree in design planning from the IIT Institute of Design, and a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University.