Guatemala (18–28 April 2023)

Strategic and participatory Design with a Mayan community in Guatemala

Tradition, Crafts and Regenerative Ecosystems

In 2023 we offer a 10-day study trip experience for participants to immerse in an unknown context and at the same time contribute to social impact. The study trip includes a hand-on design project that is organized with local partner organizations in Guatemala, focusing on strategic and participatory design, supporting the development of circular systems, positively impacting the local context. Participants collaborate with members from the Mayan community Santa Catarina Palopó to develop strategies, products, events and services that contribute to sustainable and circular living, conscious tourism, and regenerative agriculture. This experience is an opportunity for everyone who wants to take their design practice to the next level, learn and experience participatory design, co-creation, and purpose-driven leadership.

In a nutshell

What: 10-day study trip
When: 18 to 28 April 2023
Where: Santa Catarina Palopó, Lago Atitlán, Guatemala
Programme manager: Mona Mijthab
Accompanied by: Link4 (Omar Crespo), Jonas Petermann

The study trip (5 ECTS) is part of the modular CAS Design Cultures of the MAS Strategic Design continuing education program. The trip can also be booked independently of the CAS program. Costs: CHF 2800.– (excl. flights, accommodation, meals).

Structure

The 10-day study trip is highly immersive. After an explorative day about culture, history and entrepreneurship in Guatemala City the group continues to Lake Atitlán, where participants stay with local host families and experience the Mayan culture in the community Santa Catarina Palopó. Here the main part of the study trip takes place – a collaborative design project, where participants work in teams collaborating with community members and local experts, attend classes and interactive hands-on sessions, develop prototypes, and showcase final concepts at a public event. The study trip ends in the town of Antigua Guatemala with group reflections on how this experience relates to participants' private and professional lives.

In preparation for the study trip the 2.5-days Winter School in Intercultural Competencies is mandatory. The workshop will take place from 7–10 February 2023 and is provided by ZHdK together with ZHAW.

Facilitation

The study trip is facilitated by Mona Mijthab (Member of the Core Team ZHdK Strategic Design) and Omar Crespo (Guest Lecturer CAS Design Methods & CAS Design Cultures)

Mona Mijthab is a social entrepreneur with 8 years experience in teaching and research at ZHdK. Mona is a team member of the MAS Strategic Design and partially based in Switzerland and Guatemala. Mona founded Mosan, a social enterprise developing circular and climate-positive sanitation systems, transforming human excreta into biochar, which is used as a fertiliser and carbon sink in agriculture, to regenerate soils and increase farmer resilience.

Omar Crespo is a Guatemalan expert in participatory design, consultant at MIT D.Lab, and the founder of the organization Link4, a social enterprise that fosters local innovation and sustainable development, capacity building and social impact experiences. Link4s mission is to make design accessible to everyone. Its team is composed of Guatemalan experts and local community members guiding study trip participants through this immersive experience. 

Both organizations Mosan and Link4 are based in Santa Catarina Palopó since 2018 as active members and facilitators in the local innovation ecosystem. Study Trip participants get to delve in and contribute to the ongoing innovation process within the community.

Themes & Learning Goals

Participants will deepen their profiles as strategic designers with intercultural sensitivity, apply the approach, methods, tools, and mindsets of Design Thinking, Systems Thinking and Participatory Design, learn strategies for community building, circular design, design for social innovation, learn and deepen intercultural competencies, learn the concepts of local innovation and innovation ecosystems. Participants get to solve real, relevant challenges, alongside local innovators.

The design project in Guatemala will incorporate topics and challenges of sustainable living, conscious tourism, and regenerative agriculture, tackling global topics at a local scale.