Design and Engineering for Low Resource Settings: An Integrated Methodology

Design plays a crucial role in satisfying unmet or underserved needs of resource-constrained individuals and societies. This chapter presents an overview of various design and engineering approaches, such as appropriate technology, design for the real world, base of the pyramid, frugal innovation, and social innovation, aimed at designing and developing appropriate solutions adapted to specific conditions and deprivations encountered by resource-constrained population. It highlights the critical need of designing and developing integrated solutions that address multidimensional challenges such as weak infrastructure, limited resources, and poor literacy levels, while taking into account strengths of these resource-constrained societies. The chapter then outlines ten guidelines for devising such integrated solutions and presents an integrated methodology by mapping these guidelines over a design process.