The project
Delivering Innovation in Self-Care (DISC) is a five-year intervention funded by the Gates Foundation. This project aims to generate demand for DMPA-SC self-injection through a campaign and embedded use, radically changing user knowledge, motivation, and skills for self-injection.
Working with PSI Ethiopia and the Family Guidance Association of Ethiopia (FGAE), Derz applied Human-Centred Design to develop communication materials that are feasible, desirable, and viable, grounded in the real preferences, barriers, and motivations of key users across three Ethiopian cities.
What we were asked to do
Design feasible, desirable, and viable communication materials that reflect the preferences, barriers, and motivations of key users for DMPA-SC self-injection through an HCD approach, contributing to increased awareness, uptake, and continued use.
How we worked
- Insight gathering: Field research with new and repeat users across Addis Ababa, Mekele, and Jijiga, understanding barriers, motivations, and preferences around DMPA-SC self-injection
- Testing existing materials: Review and user-testing of existing DISC communication materials to identify what resonates and what falls short
- Ideation & refinement: Co-design sessions to generate and refine communication concepts grounded in user insight
- Prototype testing: Testing of media prototypes, including posters, audio clips, videos, and social media content, with target users
- Workshop facilitation: Facilitated working sessions with PSI/E and FGAE teams throughout the design process
The project delivered a comprehensive, production-ready package for demand generation:
- User personas: Detailed personas articulating the specific needs, barriers, and preferences of new and repeat DMPA-SC users across the three locations
- Demand generation prototypes: Tested media prototypes including posters, audio clips, videos, and social media content, tailored to user personas
- Final media toolkit: A production-ready package including detailed storyboards, key talking points, sample design layouts, media scripts, and pop-up campaign strategies
- Stage reports: Formal milestone reports at each stage, insight gathering, prototype testing, and final intervention package
