DARVAJA STRATEGY & METHODOLOGY DESIGN
I partnered with Darvaja, an equity-driven agency supporting teams and organizations to address intersectional challenges. My role was to define and structure Darvaja’s process by integrating their intellectual frameworks and theories into a cohesive process.
I designed visual systems such as process flows, and methodology diagrams that translate Darvaja’s intellectual work for diverse audiences. Our aim was to create consistency and clarity in Darvaja’s approach across workshops, trainings, and client engagments. The project also focused on building long-term scalability into their practice by ensuring their process and tools are robust and adaptable for future clients and collaborators.
COMPANY
DARVAJA
DELIVERABLES
METHODOLOGY & PROCESS FLOWS
FRAMEWORK VISUALS
IN COLLABORATION WITH
DARVAJA PRACTITIONERS
MY ROLE
UX STRATEGY
METHODOLOGY DESIGN
Darvaja’s Process:
Darvaja’s Process Expanded:
Darvaja’s Methodology:
Black Feminist Thought: Black feminist traditions have generated multiple ways of understanding overlapping systemic oppression, out of a need for self-determination, and to work on behalf of social justice. Key frameworks and prisms uses in darvaja’s practice are Intersectionality (Crenshaw); and the Matrix of Domination (Hill Collins).
Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR): A practice where researchers are communities and groups, collectively defining, exploring, and understanding the research topic or area of focus. From this approach, darvaja “focuses intentionally on questions of power and injustice, intersectionality and action” By placing those most embedded in the reality of migration and violence central to our learning journey, they are able to embed an intersectional approach to knowledge production alongside individuals, communities, and movements dedicated to social justice; rather than extractive evaluation practices and subsequent advocacy work that are not community owned or generated.
Systems Design: This brings to darvaja’s practice foresight tools that support them to structure thinking; especially when so much of their work can be about looking at a difficult current reality. Systemic approaches enable the holistic contextualising of lived experiences and inequitable outcomes as consequent of multiple interlinked systems of oppression and injustice.
For this work, these three grounding approaches mean darvaja will approach this work as a collaborative learning journey by focusing on building anti-oppression competency, they seek to ensure a cohesive and supported Shared Ground Residential, where participants feel valued, nourished, and supported.
My Process
Immersive Research: Worked closely with the Darvaja team to understand their intellectual theories and foundations, and observed their bespoke services.
Visual Storytelling: Translated abstract concepts into simple, effective visuals, while preserving the essence of their message.
Iterative Design: Ran feedback loops with the team, refining deliverables to ensure clarity, accessibility, and alignment in their voice.