WHI Design Lab: A Human-Centered Approach to Women's Health Innovation
In global majority countries, the health challenges faced by women and girls are often overlooked by innovations designed for other contexts. For example, Nigeria has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, 576 deaths per 100,000 live births, resulting in over 80,000 preventable deaths annually. Only 19% of women use modern contraceptives, and more than 26,000 die each year from breast and cervical cancer, largely due to limited access and culturally mismatched interventions.
Client & Partner: Gates Foundation & catapult design
Location: lagos, kano, port harcourt, nigeria
The WHI (Women’s Health Innovation) team at the Gates Foundation aims to shift this paradigm by ensuring that interventions, ranging from products and diagnostics to services and delivery strategies, are developed with and for the women and girls most affected by these conditions. To achieve this, we sought to get the lived realities of women, engaging them as active partners and leaders in decision-making.
The study explored key hypotheses, with our team focusing specifically on the first:
Hypothesis 1: If women are provided with education, counseling, and the opportunity to try new vaginal insertable products (such as the dapivirine ring), they will demonstrate increased user acceptance and sustained interest over time.
This hypothesis was investigated across four key areas:
- Usage and Experience
- Barriers and Enablers
- Education and Counseling
- Suggestions and Future Considerations
Women interacting with research materials during co-creation session
We developed a comprehensive research plan, which consisted of detailed logistical plans suited to the 2 different regions we were to work in, a comprehensive research guide which consisted of interview questions, FGDs (Focus Group Discussions) and co-creation activities, to help us deeply explore the areas of focus.
A light moment shared among women during focus group discussion
A light moment shared among women during focus group discussion
Our journey began with curiosity and empathy. We knew that to truly understand the realities of women’s health in Nigeria, we had to step into their world, not as distant observers, but as partners.
We started with secondary research, poring over existing reports and studies related to our innovation focus areas: menstrual hygiene, STI/HIV prevention, family planning, and bundled offerings (combining two or more areas). The findings we uncovered from preliminary studies became a key bridge into our gaining understanding into the lived experiences of the women we were looking to study.
To kick off our study, we recruited 30 women from the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria, each representing a vulnerable segment (vulnerable according to the Pathways categorization of women who are more at risk to social, economic, cultural and environmental outcomes ) to form a panel. The goal was to not just assemble a panel; but to build an intimate community of women who would be the voices of the larger populace. WhatsApp groups were formed to create a long-term connection and build trust. This became our virtual meeting room. Here, women could speak freely, for some in their native dialects sharing personal stories, they also used the medium to ask us questions.
Beyond discussions and WhatsApp groups, we sat together in intimate settings that allowed us to delve deeply into the areas of study. During these activities, we used a variety of methods and tools to uncover the women’s motivations, lifestyle choices, behavior patterns, needs, influences, and priorities to validate the hypothesis. Our team probed into the women’s expectations, fears, as well as sensitive topics such as family, faith, finances, and community. To explore further, we used prototypes to uncover what would make the experiences and product feel truly personal to users.
Affirmation cards used as inspiring props to spark confidence, and open conversation during the session
As stories unfolded, we began to weave together patterns and themes. We saw how cost played a factor, with some women prioritizing efficacy, hence, choosing their health over cost, we observed their risk perception; how they perceived health risks and what influenced their decision-making. We noted the key people, within their family and communities, that played major influences in their lives (people such as women, partners, religious and community leaders). We also observed key features that the women prioritized. All of this aided our gathering of key findings and insights used to reframe the hypothesis to local contexts, and opportunity areas to be later developed.
e shared these discoveries with the stakeholders, as living stories; snapshots, voice notes, quotes and reflections from the women’s stories, keeping the humans at the center of every decision. At the end of our work, we delivered the insights gathered from our engagements with the women, categorizing them into emerging themes, and classified by segment. Through quotes, reflections, and media, we were able to share insightful data that held the voices and perspectives of these women, rich data which would be used to further uncover opportunity areas in women’s health.
Miro board capturing our research planning session
Methods & Activities
Secondary research
Participant recruitment
Field research
Synthesis and analysis
Stakeholder report
Other works
Reducing Loss in Nigeria's Tomato Production
rockefeller foundation & pyxera global
Designing a Solution for Nigeria's Wealthiest Individuals
gates foundation & catapult design
Designing a System to Improve Learning for Children Ages 5-8 in Lagos State
lagos state public schools (pro-bono)
