A Simple Starting Point for Designing

for and/or Assessing

the Social Impact of Products
What is Social Impact?
- Social Impact -
The impact of engineered products on the
day-to-day lives of persons or communities
 What is Social Impact?
- Social Impact -
The impact of engineered products on the
day-to-day lives of persons or communities

- Engineering for Global Development -

Challenges:

Partners? What? How? Success?

Cost? Who? Why? Adoption?

Product Social Impact Categories

Rainock et al. “A Review of the Antecedents and Consequences of Innovation”

Product Social Impact Categories

Rainock et al. “A Review of the Antecedents and Consequences of Innovation”

Product Social Impact Categories

Rainock et al. “A Review of the Antecedents and Consequences of Innovation”

Product Social Impact Categories

Rainock et al. “A Review of the Antecedents and Consequences of Innovation”

Product Social Impact Categories

Rainock et al. “A Review of the Antecedents and Consequences of Innovation”

Our Approach
- A Simple Starting Point -
Our Approach
- Social Impact Categories -
 Our Approach
- Review of Existing Products -
Our Approach
- Product Impact Tables -
Product Impact Tables
- One for Each Social Impact Category -
Product Impact Tables
- One for Each Social Impact Category -
Product Impact Tables
- One for Each Social Impact Category -
 Our Approach
- Accessing the Product Impact Tables -
 Our Approach
- Accessing the Product Impact Tables -

Design New Product for Social Impact

Assess Social Impact of Existing Products

 Accessing the Product Impact Tables
- Example One, Designing New Products -

1. Establish Social Impact Goals

2. Review Existing Products with

Chosen Impact

3. Generate New Product Ideas

Based on Existing Products
 Accessing the Product Impact Tables
- Example One, Designing New Products -

1. Establish Social Impact Goals

2. Review Existing Products with

Chosen Impact

3. Generate New Product Ideas

Based on Existing Products
 Accessing the Product Impact Tables
- Example One, Designing New Products -

1. Establish Social Impact Goals

2. Review Existing Products with

Chosen Impact

3. Generate New Product Ideas

Based on Existing Products
 Accessing the Product Impact Tables
- Example One, Designing New Products -

1. Establish Social Impact Goals

2. Review Existing Products with

Chosen Impact

3. Generate New Product Ideas

Based on Existing Products
 Accessing the Product Impact Tables
- Example One, Designing New Products -

1. Establish Social Impact Goals

2. Review Existing Products with

Chosen Impact

3. Generate New Product Ideas

Based on Existing Products
Accessing the Product Impact Tables
- Example Two, Assessing Social Impact -

1. Evaluate Current Product and

Find Matching Functions in Tables

2. Assess Contribution to
Corresponding Impacts

3. Consider Improvements to
Increase Social Impact
Accessing the Product Impact Tables
- Example Two, Assessing Social Impact -

1. Evaluate Current Product and

Find Matching Functions in Tables

2. Assess Contribution to
Corresponding Impacts

3. Consider Improvements to
Increase Social Impact
 Accessing the Product Impact Tables
- Example Two, Assessing Social Impact -

Built in
battery 1. Evaluate Current Product and
Rugged Find Matching Functions in Tables

Ideation
Color 2. Assess Contribution to
choices
Corresponding Impacts

Flashlight 3. Consider Improvements to

Built in
cable Increase Social Impact
 A Simple Starting Point for Designing for
and/or Assessing the Social Impact of Products