Company Description

Founded in 2001, DwB is a design and innovation consultancy that uses Human Centered Design practices to address complex challenges faced by organisations, businesses and communities in low and middle-income countries.  DwB’s diverse team adopts a participatory approach with a strong emphasis on end user involvement to deliver sustainable solutions within multiple design disciplines, including products, systems and services. The team is looking to scale local design talent through the 2019 DwB Africa Design Fellowship!

Are you interested to create change by design? Learn how to use design thinking to transform organisations, communities and inspire local Innovation by applying for the Fellowship today!

About the Fellowship

The fellowship will consist of hands on practical experiences in design projects supplemented by interesting lectures and talks by our experienced DwB staff.  The three month curriculum will be split into three major projects that aim to expose the participants to a wide array of design disciplines and processes. Participants, will engage in all stages of the design process and have the chance to showcase their design prowess in various disciples.  They will deepen their understanding with Human Centered Design (HCD), aesthetics, design history, ergonomics and production method to name a few.

Employment Opportunity

At the end of the three months, outstanding candidates will be selected and hired to join the DwB team as full time designers!

Duration.

The fellowship is scheduled to run between July and September 2019. Selected candidates should be available during this time.  Fellows will meet at the DwB office full time for three days of the week with additional tasks assigned in non working days. Dates and final schedule will be communicated with selected candidates.

Deadline

The deadline for submission of application is Tuesday 25th June, 2019.

Fellowship Structure

In the first week participants will be introduced to DwB’s design practice, drawing from learnings from on going and past projects.  The team will explore a wide variety of topics and design methods that will empower the fellows in their upcoming projects, including contextualising design in the low income countries and an introduction to Human Centred Design and process.  After which the fellows will jump into three group projects exploring different disciplines and challenges.

Week 2-5: Product Design Project  

Week 6-9: Service Design Project

Weeks 9-12: Independent Project

With each project the fellows will be supported by DwB team through weekly lectures and constant guidance.  The DwB team will be always available to answer questions and share experiences at each step of the design process, starting from research & inspiration, ideation and finally prototyping and testing.  The fellows will work closely within their teams and will be expected to present the final solution at the end of each project. We expect the teams with work independently, leveraging each individual’s strengthen to product the best possible outcomes!

What to Expect?

At the end of the fellowship the participants can expect to:

• Gain valuable knowledge on the design process and methods through hands on practice and lectures from DwB senior staff.

• Practice their technical skills, such as sketching and prototyping in the areas of product, service and systems design.

• Familiarize with local issues of industrialization and development in Uganda.   

• Improve on their research and team working skills

• Gain knowledge around production methods and material usage.

• Gain experience in stakeholder engagement through user interviews and workshop facilitation

• Gain valuable skills and tools such as stakeholder mapping, customer journeys, gigamaps and others.

Evaluation Criteria

Fellows will be evaluated on the following criteria through out the fellowship;  

• Curiosity -  We will be looking for fellows who are asking critical questions and are always seeking to learn.   

• Persistence - People do not give up, find ways to overcome barriers and are patient are what we are looking for.  

• Great Leadership and Interpersonal Skills - We are looking for fellows who can bring out the best in the people they work with and take initiative.   

• Critical Design Process - We will be looking for the thinking behind a sketch, prototype or infograph

• Strong Technical Skills - We don’t expect fellows to be good at everything but it is important to be good at something!

Eligibility & Qualifications

Fellowship participants must have earned a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in design, architecture, industrial design or any other related fields.  We expect participants to have had good experience with the design process and exhibit a high level of critical thinking, creativity and great team working abilities.  Ugandans and all other African nationals are highly encouraged to apply. Good Vibes Only!

Benefits & Compensation

• Weekly stipend to cater for meals and transport will be availed.
• Full medical coverage (For candidates eventually selected to join the team as full time employees)
• Opportunity to work with passionate designers problem solving for change on a daily
• A chance to design and create the change you want to see in the world​

The deadline for submission of all applications is Tuesday 25th June, 2019 at 5pm, East Africa Time (EAT)

All your information will be kept confidential according to DwB guidelines.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.