Pact awarded new project to co-create agency-wide systemic design training for USAID

USAID has awarded Pact a one-year project to jointly design and create a set of training courses on systems design to inspire and support USAID staff as they lead the international development industry into the next era of systems-based, locally led development.

At the center of this project is a cohesive and comprehensive set of courses at the introductory and advanced levels that support USAID staff to develop the skills and mindsets of human-centered design and systems design. Pact will also develop a set of “just-in-time” learning resources to support USAID staff with the tools and methods needed to implement systems design at all levels of project and activity design.

This project represents a critical step in developing USAID’s capacity as it places local voices at the center of its work; supports communities, implementing organizations, local governments, donors and other stakeholders to better understand the systems in which they implement; and facilitates the design and implementation of development programs with these stakeholders.

“We are excited for this opportunity to partner with USAID’s iDesign team and contribute our vast experience to the next era of systems-based, locally-led development,” said Ebele Achor, Pact’s Global Director of Capacity Development & Innovation.

Pact has deep technical experience in the areas of human-centered design, systems practice, capacity development, training, facilitation and curriculum design, as well as locally led development and community engagement. Since 2013, Pact has strengthened the capacity of a subset of our global staff, partners and community members across five continents in human-centered design and systems practice and is launching its own internal HCD training program available in English, Spanish, Swahili, and French.

This project is Pact’s second under the Innovative Design Services (IDS) mechanism, which is managed by the U.S. Global Development Lab’s Innovation Design and Advisory (iDesign) team and PM Consulting Group. Through IDS, Pact offers customized innovation technical assistance through buy-ins across USAID’s Missions, Bureaus and Independent Offices.