How IBM iX is Designing for Social Impact at the IBM Impact Accelerator

Human-centred Design as Foundation of meaningful Social Impact

Social innovation may rely on technical solutions, but at its core it is always about the needs of real people. This belief shapes the work in the IBM Impact Accelerator. Meaningful outcomes only emerge when the challenges of communities are understood deeply and when their lived realities guide how we design and build solutions. Human centered design is therefore not an optional layer in our program; it is the foundation of everything we do.  

At IBM iX, we support the IBM Accelerator both strategically and hands on. Our goal is simple: to help ensure that every project we touch becomes a real benefit to the people it is meant to serve. This means pairing the strong technical capabilities in the program with thoughtful design perspectives that keep human needs at the centre. 

Digital Solutions empowering Communities under Pressure

The need for this work is urgent. Each year an estimated 26 million people are pushed into poverty due to ecological and economic stress. IBM created the Impact Accelerator to support communities facing these pressures through digital solutions that strengthen resilience where it matters most. The program works with five grantees over a two-year cycle and partners with NGOs, governmental agencies and research institutions around the world. Since 2021, the Accelerator has focused on topics such as clean water and sanitation, sustainable agriculture, clean energy, resilient cities and now sustainable supply chains and consumption. Collaborators include organizations such as UNDP, INREM Foundation, Texas A&M University and the World Food Programme. 

A unified Design Approach that empowers Global Collaboration 

What makes the program unique is its people. Volunteers from IBM Consulting, Technology and Sustainability join global teams and accompany each project from early research through to launch. Their motivation is not driven by commercial goals, but by the desire to create positive change and contribute to their expertise where it can make a real difference. 

Yet when partners with different backgrounds meet volunteer teams from across the world, each bringing their own methods, tools and levels of experience, the work can become fragmented. Processes vary, design maturity differs and priorities shift depending on the composition of the team. At times, teams approach similar problems in entirely different ways. This diversity is a strength, but without shared guidance it can also slow progress and create inconsistencies. 

Recognizing this, we set out at IBM iX to provide clearer strategic support for the design teams and to streamline the design process across the Accelerator. The result is a unified design strategy built on several core pillars that help teams collaborate with clarity, consistency and purpose.  

Seven Key Design Principles that align Teams 

Together with the IBM Impact Accelerator team, we at IBM iX, developed a unified design strategy grounded in seven key principles. These principles guide all projects across the cohort and ensure that teams can work with clarity, consistency and shared expectations: 

1. User centered and co-creative
   All solutions are developed together with grantees and end users. Their insights drive priorities, scope decisions and validation stages.
2. Aligned with IBM Garage and Enterprise Design Thinking (EDT)
   We follow one structured, iterative framework to ensure we build the right solution, the right way and on time.
3. Clear roles, ownership and governance
   Each project includes a Design Lead, a Co-Design Lead, CIC (Client Innovation Center) support and volunteer designers. Regular check ins and defined deliverables create predictability and maintain quality.
4. Single Source of Truth (SSoT)
   All decisions, designs and requirements live in one shared workspace. If it is not in the SSoT, it is not official.
5. Feature control after defining the MVP scop
   Any changes to scope follow a lightweight change request process that protects timelines while still allowing important adjustments.
6. Reusable components and design consistency
   We standardize through shared project-assets, design-components and cross project alignment and sharing to scale design quality across the Accelerator.
7. Enablement for grantees
   Onboarding materials, EDT introductions and clear expectations empower partners to collaborate effectively and accelerate progress.  

The Design Playbook as a Field Guide

A core element of the strategy is the Design Playbook, a field guide that outlines the essential activities for design teams and demonstrates how they can be applied in real project contexts. It provides a shared structure for research, co-creation and delivery, helping teams follow a consistent approach across all projects in the cohort. The Design Playbook includes activities for every phase of the design process. It guides teams from structuring the first co-creation session with the grantee to conducting effective user interviews, developing ideas and ultimately scoping a viable solution. By covering the full arc of the design workflow, the Playbook helps teams navigate each step with clarity and consistency. 

Enablement and Sharing Sessions 

To strengthen alignment and build shared skills across the programme, we established regular enablement and sharing sessions. In these sessions, teams exchange methods, tools and practical insights from ongoing project work, ensuring that knowledge flows beyond individual teams. 

Accessible Design Repositories 

All design deliverables are made available in open repositories, allowing teams to follow the progress of other projects, reuse relevant assets and learn from each other’s approaches. This transparency helps break down silos and creates a stronger sense of community within the cohort. 

People Behind the Strategy

Together with the global management team of the IBM Impact Accelerator, we gradually developed and implemented the unified design strategy across the programme. For Michael Jacobs, Head of Social Innovation and Programme Lead of the Accelerator, a stable yet resilient approach to developing impact driven solutions is a critical success factor.  

“We are often working with highly complex challenges. To address them effectively, we need tools that help us quickly understand local and global contexts, develop innovative solutions and define a clear and realistic scope. And we need to do this through a unified and streamlined approach. Achieving impact at scale requires strong coordination across teams and partners.”
Michael Jacobs, Head of Social Innovation, IBM Impact Accelerator 

Reflecting on his role, Krishen Mertens, Design Lead for the Accelerator, highlights the motivation behind the work:  

“Working with the Impact Accelerator is highly relevant, but also deeply motivating and fulfilling. We are contributing to projects that aim to create positive change for communities around the world. My goal is to support our design teams, who are active across all continents and help them do their best work.” 

Since this year, the Accelerator has also received additional hands on support from UX designers at IBM iX. They are currently working with the grantee World Resources Institute (WRI). Together, they are developing a solution that enables public sector actors to identify and map existing solar installations using satellite imagery. The goal is to help renewable energy developers more quickly assess where future projects can be realized. 

Turning human-centred Design into lasting Social Impact

Human-centred design is a catalyst for real social change. By combining clear principles, shared tools and collaborative practices, diverse teams can deliver tangible benefits to communities worldwide. Initiatives like the Design Playbook, enablement sessions and open repositories ensure knowledge is shared and scaled across projects, turning fragmented efforts into cohesive, high-impact solutions. When design is embedded at the heart of innovation, technology becomes a tool not just for building solutions, but for creating lasting, meaningful impact for the people who need it most.  

Let’s power learning that shapes tomorrow’s workforce

The current Request for Proposals for the upcoming cohort, focused on Education and Workforce Development, is open until March 25, 2026. 

IBM invites nonprofit organizations, government entities, and academic institutions to submit proposals that expand access to learning and workforce development opportunities. The program is particularly seeking AI driven initiatives that help students, educators, and workers succeed by strengthening education systems, defining career pathways, and building more resilient workforce ecosystems. 

Organizations interested in applying can learn more and submit their proposals here.

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