The Afrikan Collaboration Network for Design Thinking
Rooted in our shared passion for human-centred innovation, we aim to nurture Afrika’s creative potential to solve complex challenges in ways that reflect our diverse social, cultural, and economic realities.
To support changemakers and entrepreneurs, we need Design Thinking education and practice that is grounded in our indigenous traditions of collaboration and problem-solving.
In the spirit of Ubuntu, we are building a community of practice to weave a tapestry from our diverse experiences, and co-lead collaborative projects that reflect our pluriversal world.
Facilitated by the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at the University of Cape Town, the network welcomes collaborators—especially institutions of learning and development—with no membership fees or criteria.
The d-school Afrika established its footprint in Afrika with programmes like Design Thinking in Afrika since 2021, offered in partnership with partner universities across Africa, including American University in Cairo (Egypt), Ashesi University (Ghana), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) (Ghana), University of Nairobi (Kenya); and the University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania).
d.confestival Cape Town 2022, hosted outside Europe for the first time that year, firmly shone a spotlight on the significance and application of Design Thinking in Afrika and the Global South. About three quarters of participants were from 13 African countries, and 21 out of 50 speakers were from the Afrikan continent (10 beyond South Africa). See the e-magazine to relive the rich discussions and insights.
During d.confestival 2022, a special strategic session was held with a group of invited guests – our founding participants – from selected Afrikan institutions. We imagined the possibilities, seeded the vision and charted a roadmap for an Afrikan Collaborative Network.
From this foundation, we set off using the principles of design thinking to begin understanding the context, mapping the stakeholders, and prototyping ideas for engagement.
Our Stakeholder Mapping Survey in 2023 uncovered 53 organisations from 13 countries, revealing a rich diversity of design thinking activity on the continent. Collective sense-making of the findings pointed to a need for connection, capacity building, research, knowledge resources and teaching materials that are generated in Afrika and responsive to our contexts.
This survey was just the beginning. Join our Design Thinking Directory to connect with others and register your details, interests, needs and offers.
Our founding participants with whom we planted the seeds.
Left to Right: Felix Ofori Dartey (PADI), Ralitsa Diana Debrah (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology), Hoda Mostafa (American University of Cairo), Adrian Jankowiak (Nairobi Design Week & Studio), Jenni van Niekerk, Janice McMillan, Richard Perez, Lucille Roberts (all d-school Afrika), Lilac Osanjo (University of Nairobi), Ettienne Mostert (d-school Afrika), Mugendi M’Rithaa (Machakos University & WDO), Uli Weinberg (d-school Potsdam & GDTA)
The d-school Afrika established its footprint in Afrika with programmes like Design Thinking in Afrika since 2021, offered in partnership with partner universities across Africa, including American University in Cairo (Egypt), Ashesi University (Ghana), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) (Ghana), University of Nairobi (Kenya); and the University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania).
d.confestival Cape Town 2022, hosted outside Europe for the first time that year, firmly shone a spotlight on the significance and application of Design Thinking in Afrika and the Global South. About three quarters of participants were from 13 African countries, and 21 out of 50 speakers were from the Afrikan continent (10 beyond South Africa). See the e-magazine to relive the rich discussions and insights.
During d.confestival 2022, a special strategic session was held with a group of invited guests – our founding participants – from selected Afrikan institutions. We imagined the possibilities, seeded the vision and charted a roadmap for an Afrikan Collaborative Network.
From this foundation, we set off using the principles of design thinking to begin understanding the context, mapping the stakeholders, and prototyping ideas for engagement.
Our Stakeholder Mapping Survey in 2023 uncovered 53 organisations from 13 countries, revealing a rich diversity of design thinking activity on the continent. Collective sense-making of the findings pointed to a need for connection, capacity building, research, knowledge resources and teaching materials that are generated in Afrika and responsive to our contexts.
This survey was just the beginning. Join our Design Thinking Directory to connect with others and register your details, interests, needs and offers.
Our founding participants with whom we planted the seeds.
Left to Right: Felix Ofori Dartey (PADI), Ralitsa Diana Debrah (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology), Hoda Mostafa (American University of Cairo), Adrian Jankowiak (Nairobi Design Week & Studio), Jenni van Niekerk, Janice McMillan, Richard Perez, Lucille Roberts (all d-school Afrika), Lilac Osanjo (University of Nairobi), Ettienne Mostert (d-school Afrika), Mugendi M’Rithaa (Machakos University & WDO), Uli Weinberg (d-school Potsdam & GDTA)
These stories are created as teaching and learning tools aimed at design thinking educators for use in their teaching and facilitation, or for self-led learning by students. The stories offer real world examples of design thinking to make it practical and relatable and to illustrate various teaching points related to design thinking.
The process is led by d-school Afrika in consultation with an advisory group made up of teaching institutions across the continent, and built on consultation with participants in several conversation circles.
Watch this video guide and read our Call for Stories to learn more and contribute your stories and ideas.
The intended glossary will support facilitators in adapting terminology to their own teaching styles and local contexts. In the long term, we envision a multilingual comprehensive, localised toolkit of Design Thinking methods and materials—designed for and rooted in Afrika.
*These platforms are early experimental prototypes. Our communication ecosystem will evolve as we grow and understand the network’s needs. We welcome feedback, suggestions and contributions.
Request access to the Google drive, then contribute open source resources
Feel free to post, introduce yourself, share resources and connect with others
Occasional updates - we promise we won’t spam you
Share your details via the Google Sheet, then access the directory. Find out about others’ activities, interests, needs and offers.
Occasional online conversation circles to exchange knowledge and network with others .
Copyright 2025 Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika*
