The United Nations (UN) Social Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 interconnected global goals designed to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. Adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, the SDGs address global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. They are intended to be achieved by 2030 and serve as a blueprint for global development efforts.

Design thinking and Lego Serious Play are human-centered approaches to problem-solving that can be effectively applied to achieve the SDGs. This involves understanding the needs of the people affected by a problem, generating creative solutions, and iterating on those solutions based on feedback.

By integrating the design process into the pursuit of the SDGs, innovative and effective solutions can be created that are tailored to the specific needs of communities. For example, in addressing SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), design thinking can help identify the unique challenges faced by different communities in accessing clean water. By empathizing with the community members, defining the problem accurately, ideating potential solutions, prototyping those solutions, and testing them in real-world scenarios, we can develop sustainable and scalable solutions that ensure access to clean water for all.

Similarly, our methods  can be applied to other SDGs, such as SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), to create solutions that are not only effective but also inclusive and equitable. By focusing on the human experience and involving the affected communities in the problem-solving process, our approach ensures that the solutions are relevant, practical, and sustainable.