Abstracts Category : Other

Success Metrics and Sustainable Business Models in SocialInnovation Design Firms

by Jordan AG Kauffman

This thesis is an investigation into sustainablebusiness models and the different evaluation methods utilized insocial innovation design. Over the last twenty years, there hasbeen an increase in awareness and desire within the design industryto utilize design as a way to help solve some of the large,systemic social problems facing people all over the world. To makethis work financially and sustainably, designers are utilizing avariety of for-profit and nonprofit business models. However, thesebusiness models are potentially hindering social innovationdesigners access to the resources needed to measure the impact oftheir work. Social innovation designers are co-designing anddeveloping services, programs, systems, and products withnonprofits and communities that are dealing with these socialproblems. Social change work of this nature requires designers andtheir partners to be engaged in measuring the long-term impact oftheir work in order to truly make lasting change. This has ledsocial innovation designers to turn to evaluation methods used inthe parallel fields of social work, community organizing,education, and public health, in order to track the impacts oftheir work. These evaluation methods also play a key role inhelping social innovation designers better communicate the valuethey bring to their clients and partners. By utilizing andintegrating these evaluation methods into their design processes,social innovation designers are leading the way for this field togain broader acceptance and support.Advisors/Committee Members: Visocky O'Grady, Ken (Advisor).