Friday 12.01.17
OHK Brings IDEO’s Field Guide to Human-Centered Design to the Middle East and 28 Arabic Speaking Countries
OHK's guidelines in Arabic target around 200,000 practitioners involved in design professions in the MENA region.
The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design has been used by OHK in the Middle East as a step-by-step guide to rethinking techniques for solving problems. Many of our partners faced with challenging social contexts have found it a powerful tool for learning and problem solving.
OHK is bringing IDEO’s Field Guide to Human-Centered Design (HCD) to social sector practitioners in the Middle East. This is the first time the step-by-step guide will be available to 28-Arabic speaking countries to reveal the key mindsets that underpin how and why we think about design for social and sustainable development. OHK has been working on prototyping the guide in multiple projects in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. It has been used to help arrive at more creative solutions to socioeconomic ideas in communities in transition. Our collaboration with clients, development agencies, IFIs, and socioeconomic development champions worldwide helped solve meaningful problems facing many communities in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
OHK is a consulting firm that has developed the Arabic Field Guide to Human-Centered Design, an important tool for Arabic-speaking countries. These guidelines are vital for various fields, including health, education, finance, and technology. They provide detailed information on achieving end-user-focused design goals and addressing specific challenges of understanding their needs and context.
One of the most significant benefits of having these guidelines available in Arabic is that they can be easily accessed and understood by Arabic-speaking audiences. By providing guidelines in Arabic, OHK is helping to bridge this information gap and ensuring everyone has access to the information they need to make informed decisions. Target speakers for these guidelines are primarily design practitioners and professionals in various fields who can stay up-to-date with the latest research and best practices in their respective fields.
According to a 2019 International Council of Design report, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) design industry employs approximately 200,000 designers. This number represents less than 1% of the population in the region.
Clear-to-use design methods are detailed and customized to this region's social, cultural, and development challenges and bring from-the-field case studies of human-centered design in action. The Field Guide helps consultants, NGOs, development agencies, and non-profits become better at problem-solving and understand the needs and expectations of their stakeholders. A special edition of the guide will include additional case studies from OHK’s work in eco-tourism, sustainable energy, and urban regeneration from Egypt, Jordan, UAE, and Saudi Arabia.
A limited number of hard copies of the guide will be available worldwide. You can get your free copy by contacting us. Make your request below. In conclusion, the availability of guidelines in Arabic is essential for developing and progressing many fields in Arabic-speaking countries. OHK's efforts to develop the Arabic version of guidelines will undoubtedly significantly impact in the region.
OHK is a global innovation consulting firm focusing on emerging markets that partners with changemakers to identify opportunities that unlock value and solve sustainability challenges.
IDEO is a global design and innovation company that creates a positive impact through design by taking a human-centered approach to helping organizations.
