Human-centered design sits at the intersection of empathy and creativity

We use human-centered design to create products, services, and experiences that improve the lives of people.

We’re mission-driven designers who are looking to have as much impact as possible in the lives of the people. It starts with getting to know the people we’re designing for. Without them, we wouldn’t know what to design, how it should work, or why it matters. From there we build, test, and iterate until we get it right.

The problems we face are immense, systemic, and complex, but we believe that a design-led approach, the right partnerships, and sustained engagement with a particular problem can create transformative change. Our goal is to see our designs implemented, evolved, and operating at scale.

IDEO.org launched as a 501(c)(3) from the global design and innovation firm IDEO in 2011, and like IDEO, we practice human-centered design. In addition to actually making things to improve the lives of people, we're working to get the social sector at large to take a human-centered approach to problem solving too.

Our Tools for Design

Want to learn how to solve problems like a designer? We’ve developed a suite of tools that can help you and your teams unlock your creative problem-solving potential.

Design Kit

Design Kit is our online learning platform with practical tips on applying human-centered design in any context. Here you’ll learn the key Mindsets and Methods of how we work with step-by-step guidance to put it all into action. Join our 100,000-strong community of innovators.

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The Field Guide

The Field Guide is your textbook to practicing human-centered design for social innovation. Written for both new and experienced practitioners, the Field Guide unlocks IDEO.org’s design methodology and shares key case studies, worksheets, and more.

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Prototyping

Design Kit: Prototyping is a four-week course that will help you expand your human-centered design capabilities by showing you how to prototype like a pro. Learn how to accelerate your thinking by quickly building your ideas and getting them into the hands of the people you’re designing for.

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The Course for Human-Centered Design

Design Kit: The Course for Human-Centered Design is a free nine-week course that will introduce you to the concepts of human-centered design. Enroll, form a team, and get ready to start innovating.

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The Facilitator's Guide

Been practicing human-centered design for a while now and want to introduce it to your colleagues? Our Facilitator's Guide is a step-by-step tool to help you plan and lead a one-day workshop for 5 to 20 people and introduce the key elements of human-centered design.

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