Social innovation has emerged as an innovation paradigm often used to address societal challenges. In this context, designers are recognised as the drivers of such initiatives. Literature provides ample examples of implementing products, policies, and services for social innovation. Despite evidence suggesting the need, there is a dearth of studies informing about the process, especially while designing products. Analysing the design process is crucial to understanding how societal needs are translated into products. This paper presents a case study of the design process for solving the issue of live fish fingerling transportation. We used project notes in a post-project review to identify the process flow and challenges encountered, such as time sensitivity, influence of funding, and users’ struggle in value comparison. We found that designers are viewed as part of different social groups, and users’ prior experience with social groups impacts the process. The study provides an example roadmap for crafting social innovation through product design. Understanding the social innovation process could enhance future projects by informing adaptable design strategies and fostering solutions that meet immediate needs while building resilience for future challenges.