ABSTRACT
One of the keys to success is engaging base of the pyramid communities in the product design process and co-creating products with the low-income user rather than making assumptions about price and function from a distance. A well-known and commonly used methodology for co-creation in product design is design thinking, which is defined as “a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer’s toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and requirements for business success”. At the heart of this methodology is the involvement and active engagement of actual user in the product design thereby increasing the likelihood that the product is technically feasible, financially viable, and desired by its users. The Design Thinking method has proven successful with multinationals Small and Medium Enterprises and social enterprises. In terms of pricing, filters sold in urban areas have a high-end design and higher sale margins that are meant to subsidize the rural oriented products and services.
