The Design for the Developing World Canvas helps teams designing physical products for resource-poor individuals in developing communities. Using the canvas allows the team to avoid common pitfalls by helping them see which questions still need to be answered and what their next tasks should be.

The information in the canvas will change as the team learns more about their project, so the canvas should be updated regularly. It can be used before, during, or after design reviews to help the team avoid common pitfalls. The canvas can also be used after a failed project to analyze the cause of the failure. The team may use one canvas for one phase of the project, then fill out the canvas again for the next phase. To keep track, the teams should clearly define the scope of the canvas they are currently working with.

The canvas should be used as a worksheet. Individually or as a team, answers to important questions should be written directly on the canvas in the appropriate section. The information written on the canvas naturally leads the team to consider the next tasks and assign those tasks to team members.

To read more and to access a link to the worksheet, click here.