Our Approach
The Humanitarian Technology Challenge comprises a two distinct phases:
- Identifying, selecting and defining the challenges, our focus for much of 2008 and the first-half of 2009
- Developing and deploying potential solutions
Using our online collaborative platform, technologists, humanitarians - and many others - will work together to create potential solution frameworks. We anticipate deployment of solutions to the initial three challenges will be completed in the field by individuals and organizations beginning in 2012. View our project timeline.
Identifying, Selecting and Defining the Initial Challenges
Identifying the "right" humanitarian challenges is the key to the success of the HTC: "force-feeding" technology to a "perceived" need would do little to fulfill our mission... or benefit those who need our solutions the most. The final challenges selected began with focus groups consisting of those who know the world's most pressing issues best - the field workers and representatives from 10 humanitarian organizations who serve on the "front lines" in underdeveloped nations:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Humanitarian Foundations and Advisory Organizations, San Francisco, California, USA
- Fritz Institute
- Google Foundation
- InSTEDD
- Manatt Health Solutions
- New Field Foundation
- Seva Foundation
- World Neighbors
- Pan American Health Organization, Washington, D.C., USA
- World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
As a result of these focus groups, 37 humanitarian needs were identified in nine categories: communications; data collection; electronic medical records; operations and maintenance; power sensors and contamination; supply management and logistics; telemedicine and training.
From these needs, we identified our three final challenges based on the:
- Number of people who could be helped and the magnitude of the anticipated benefits
- Breadth and complexity of potential technologies - and our ability to implement them successfully within the local environment
- Valuable input of the Earth Institute at Columbia University which has proven, extensive "on-the-ground" experience implementing projects in developing countries.
Three working groups - comprising a mix of humanitarians and technologists - have defined each challenge: its details and specifics as well as its distinct subchallenges. The Solutions Development Process was launched at the June 1-2 HTC Conference. To participate, request access to our online collaborative platform.
Developing and Deploying the Solution
With the three initial humanitarian challenges selected, the HTC is now working to create sustainable, scalable solutions that can be implemented locally, and within the environmental, cultural, structural, political and socio-economic conditions where they will be deployed. How? By working together.
The first step in the process is for each of the three challenge "working groups" to develop "solution frameworks" that:
- Consider such requirements as interoperability, standards, economic considerations, inter-dependencies, product features/capabilities.
- Establish a common reference point that can be adjusted and modified to adapt to different regions, countries, climates, environments.
- Will be used by those on the "front lines" - individuals and organizations such as corporations, non-governmental organizations, foundations, governments - to develop actual products that would be deployed in the local environments... where they're needed the most.
The solutions will be monitored and evaluated for effectiveness, impact, and value, beginning in late 2010 and throughout 2011.
Throughout the process, the groups will not only collaborate online, but also have the opportunity to get together in person at conferences and workshops to present the progress they've made, compare notes, get any assistance they may need and generally ensure that things are moving along.
Online Collaborative Platform
The HTC's open-access online collaborative platform enables technologists, humanitarians, nonprofit organizations, students, government employees - and citizens of the world - to develop possible solution frameworks to each of our humanitarian challenges.
By sharing - and building upon - the ideas of others, together we'll be able potentially lasting solutions that can then be developed and deployed in the field by the individuals, corporations and nonprofit organizations who are already there.
Find out more about the challenges. To participate in the Solution Development Process, request access to our platform.