Design Your Action (DYA) is a Mexican Non-governmental Organization which focuses on the collective strength that enables local changes dedicated to promote self-sufficient societies. DYA acts as a facilitator of collaborative design methods that enable the interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge in order to achieve innovative, relevant and effective solutions to complex situations in society.
DYA was founded in 2013 by Xaviera Sánchez de la Barquera. Claudia Garduño joined their team in the beginning of 2017; since then, DYA operates ALM in Mexico.
Sustainable Global Technologies Programme (SGT). Since 2015, ALM is a case study within SGT’s multidisciplinary studio course. SGT Studio is a learning studio for Master’s and PhD students at the Aalto University School of Engineering. The studio course includes expert lectures, interactive workshops and an extensive project work and optional field period. The lecturers and workshops introduce students to international project work including project design, management, scheduling, finance, reporting, and dynamics of group work, research ethics and participatory methods. In the actual group work the students participate in real projects within research groups, organizations or companies. Their work is mentored by PhD candidates, researchers and practicing professionals. The first SGT Studio course with various interdisciplinary development projects was organized in 2006.
The fieldwork period and workshops in the communities are the core participatory element of the Aalto LAB Mexico and SGT Studio course. The aim is to allow and facilitate change towards better environment, products, services and processes, in order to empower the communities. The students from Aalto and Mexican universities work in cross disciplinary teams, and they outline the projects in collaboration with the local community members. The studio projects are finalized and evaluated after the field period. Resources permitting, a feed-back trip is organized for a group of students, to share the results of the design processes with the communities.
Action Lab Mexico 