To solve complex problems, we need to work together. Whether we’re developing an app or designing a way for people with disabilities to access healthcare, our process involves close collaboration with the partners we work with.
Catalpa is a global development organisation leveraging design and technology to create a more equitable world. That’s always been our mission, even when we first started in rural Ermera, Timor-Leste in 2010.
Our programs span education, health, social inclusion, environment, aid transparency, labour mobility and more. And we work together with local and international partners to cultivate positive change.
In collaboration with governments, NGOs and partner organisations, we design programs that support people. From concept and ideation right through to implementation, our programs are backed by evidence and strong theories of change. They aim to nudge behaviours, make information available, and improve planning and management.
To help us achieve our goals, we make context-specific tools, from micro-targeting apps for skills development to online portals for nutrition governance.
We practice human-centered design, a creative approach to problem solving that starts with people and arrives at context-specific solutions.
Bringing together diverse skill sets, we take an interdisciplinary approach to our projects, working across the entire cycle of aid program delivery. We integrate continuous improvement processes into every program so our work is sustainable and meets people’s needs over time.
Designing meaningful and innovative solutions begins with understanding people’s needs, goals and behaviours.
Prototyping a product or service helps us think realistically about how people would interact with it.
Through feedback and monitoring, we iterate to make things more effective for people.
Ongoing evaluation and project development means we can scale our impact while staying grounded and relevant.