IBM DESIGN FOR SOCIAL GOOD
Completed an interactive, semester-long course led by IBM professionals applying the Enterprise Design Thinking Framework to real-world challenges. Partnered with a local nonprofit, Sea Grant, to identify and address organizational and community needs through research, ideation and prototyping. The course emphasized sponsor-user engagement, iterative design and storytelling. This project culminated into a final showcase presented to IBM designers, nonprofit stakeholders and NC State faculty.
Sea Grant x IBM: Fly Tipping Project
As part of IBM’s Design It Forward program, I collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to apply Enterprise Design Thinking methods to a real-world community challenge. Our project addressed illegal dumping (“fly-tipping”) in the Marsh Creek area of Raleigh, NC, a problem affecting local residents, businesses and unhoused community members.
Key Contributions & Outcomes
Conducted site visits, interviews and trail-cam observations to map hotspots and understand stakeholder perspectives.
Developed personas and scenario maps for residents, business owners and unhoused neighbors to identify pain points and design equitable solutions.
Proposed three scalable interventions:
Educational & deterrent signage to clarify rules and empower reporting.
Public art installations to build neighborhood pride and deter dumping.
Community garden initiative to foster collaboration between residents and unhoused individuals while creating cleaner, safer shared spaces.
Presented iterative prototypes during three client playbacks, integrating feedback from IBM professionals, Sea Grant stakeholders and community members.
Showcased final solutions, demonstrating how design thinking can bridge environmental sustainability, public health and social equity.
Impact: The project provided Sea Grant with actionable strategies to reduce stormwater-derived litter in the Neuse River estuary while fostering community stewardship and inclusion.