The ILS Design Thinking Olympics is now in full swing and has engaged six regional offices of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The six participating DOLE regional offices are the National Capital Region, and Regions III, IV-A, VI, VII, and XI.
Launched by the Institute last July 25, 2017 as part of its 30th founding anniversary activities, and in line with its anniversary theme, Masusi, Makabago at Makabuluhang Pananaliksik tungo sa Matatag, Maginhawa at Panatag na Buhay ng Manggagawang Pilipino, the ILS-initiated project is aimed at introducing design thinking to DOLE’s operations, and mainstream design thinking as one of strategies in managing programs as well as in crafting region-specific policies that respond to the needs of their end users. The competition is anchored on the theme “Programang paggawa, pa’no ka ginawa?: Innovating public sector delivery.”
The Design Thinking Olympics participants are required to go through five stages: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test, to be accomplished within two months starting October 2017. The Design Thinking Challenge does not only cover the DOLE program TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers), or the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Program (DILEEP), and its program framework and guidelines, but also encourages the participating regions to come out with solutions outside the existing framework.
The final outputs for the said Olympics are the prototypes of the proposed solutions to further enhance the said programs and will be presented as an audio-visual presentation during the 84th DOLE anniversary celebration on December 08, 2017.
The Institute for Labor Studies (ILS) is the policy research and advocacy arm of the Department of Labor and Employment. For more information on this story, please contact the Advocacy and Publications Division at 527-3490.