Empowering Humanity: Unveiling Impactful Service Concepts for Collective Engagement and Humanitarian Activism

We have reached the end of an incredible journey with the completion of the third and final workshop, “Stand by msf | stand for humanity: Imagining new service concepts for collective engagement, participation, and activation.” This workshop has been a significant milestone in the students’ pursuit of designing impactful services and systems.

Thanks to the partnership between our program and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the workshop, led by Oblo, presented a unique challenge to the students: envisioning and creating a collective event that brings people together in a “piazza” or neighborhood. The aim of this event is to stimulate participation, engage potential supporters and contributors, raise awareness about MSF’s work, and collect funds for humanitarian initiatives.

Throughout the workshop, the students immersed themselves in field research, ideation sessions, concept refinement, service mapping, and presentation skills. They were encouraged to develop a strong service vision that considers not only desirability and feasibility but also sustainability and impact. Collaborating closely with MSF representatives, they gained valuable insights from the organization’s internal staff and measured the potential impact of their proposed concepts.

We are immensely proud of the students’ hard work and dedication in incorporating feedback from Oblo and MSF. Their commitment to creating meaningful service solutions that align with MSF’s mission and objectives is truly commendable.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Médecins Sans Frontières for their collaboration and support, making this workshop possible. As the students embark on the next phase of their journey, we wish them the best in designing services and systems that will contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive future.

During the workshop, the students were split into four groups, each approaching the brief with a unique perspective:

• “Giochi MSF” focused on organizing corporate team-building activities for MSF partner companies. Through non-competitive games and activities open to employees’ families, the event aimed to improve soft skills while raising awareness, encouraging engagement, and raising funds for humanitarian efforts.
• “In Viaggio Con MSF” aimed to bring the cultures and heritage of different countries to participants through immersive experiences that engage all five senses. This yearly event in Italy highlighted countries in MSF’s current focus areas, creating awareness and expanding MSF’s target base.
• “Momenti Senza Frontiere” envisioned a community for young adults in Italy to learn, engage, share, and take collective action towards causes they care about. This online platform connected users to local events, causes, and discussions, leading to a month-long series of events culminating in “Momenti in Festa,” an annual festival celebrating successful MSF initiatives and championing causes.
• “Art without borders” proposed an itinerant art exhibition to raise awareness, create engagement, and empower young emerging artists while generating funds and leads for MSF. The exhibition aimed to bridge the gap between marginalized populations’ experiences and Italian awareness.

Flavia and Massimo, representatives of MSF, shared their thoughts on the workshop:

“Siamo entrati in collaborazione con il Master in Service Design di POLI.design chiedendo agli studenti di pensare a un evento di piazza che possa diventare L’evento annuale di MSF sul territorio italiano. Cercavamo idee che ci distanziassero dal concetto di ‘gazebo con piantine’. Dopo aver partecipato alla review intermedia delle due settimane di workshop posso dire che siamo usciti dal seminato. Per rimanere nel contesto botanico ho visto dei germogli che potremo accudire per arrivare a fioritura. La cosa importante era avere idee e prospettive diverse che considerassero l’ecosistema di un evento del genere, le fasi di ingaggio preparatorie e quelle post evento delle varie categorie di partecipanti. Ottimo lavoro!”  – Massimo Ravasini, Deputy Director General of MSF

“Non avendo studi nel settore del service design, per me è stato non solo arricchente, ma anche altamente formativo e interessante poter affiancare il lavoro degli studenti nelle 2 settimane. I ragazzi hanno approcciato la sfida in maniera innovativa, pensando a qualcosa molto diverso dai “soliti format” e che permette quindi a noi di MSF di essere distintivi e competitivi. Quello che ho visto creare e produrre in 10 giorni è stato per me veramente strabiliante!” – Flavia Arcangeli, Head of FR Development of MSF

We applaud the students for their outstanding efforts and thank them for their dedication. This workshop has been an incredible experience, and we are excited to see the positive impact their service concepts will have in shaping a better future.