Name: Making knowledge actionable with the International Labor Organisation (ILO)
Start: 2025-09-23T19:00:00+01:00
End: 2025-09-23T21:00:00+01:00
Location: Old Fire Station

**Description:**
There is a lot of overlap between service design and UX design. This month, we are delighted to invite STBY/Quicksand, a leading pioneer in service design and design research, to learn from their latest case study with the International Labor Organisation (ILO).

The ILO is a specialised agency of the United Nations dedicated to promoting social justice and decent work. It recently partnered with four other UN agencies to develop interventions in the context of forced displacement. In addition to the traditional reports, they wanted to share their knowledge in a more actionable manner internally so that they can make a wider impact with global and local stakeholders.

STBY/Quicksand supported ILO to conduct user research and design the knowledge share service by harnessing their state of art service design methods and AI.

**About STBY/Quicksand:**
Stby and Quicksand are long-time partner studios working at the intersection of design research, service innovation, and social impact and united by a belief in the power of human-centred design to drive systems change. With studios in London, Amsterdam, Delhi, Bangalore, and Goa, we bring together local insights and global perspectives shaped by nearly two decades of practice in both the Global North and South. Our work spans a wide range of sectors including, but not limited to: public health, education, climate, public policy, social justice and financial inclusion.

Stby brings deep expertise in participatory design research, supporting organisations to meaningfully connect with communities and design more inclusive services and systems. Quicksand's interdisciplinary practice brings a strong foundation in emerging markets, co-creating innovative solutions grounded in people’s lived experiences to ensure that interventions are contextually relevant and impactful. Together, we design collaborative processes that build trust, foster shared ownership, and translate lived experience into actionable strategy.

STBY: [https://www.stby.eu/](https://www.stby.eu/)
Quicksand: [https://quicksand.co.in/](https://quicksand.co.in/)

**About speakers:**
**Qin Han**
Qin (Pronounced “Chin”) is Senior Design Researcher and R&D Lead at Stby. She’s a big fan of sci-fi and this passion translates to her fascination with technology and the role it plays in society. After obtaining a degree in Computer Science and Technology and a Master of Design degree, Qin was awarded the first ever PhD in Service Design in the UK from the University of Dundee. She has also played a very active role as an organiser and ambassador of the Service Design Jams.

Qin is particularly interested in the healthcare context and advocates the value of Design Research and Service Design in addressing issues related to ageing societies, and wellbeing more generally. With strong links to universities and fresh graduates, Qin is always keen to share her experience and knowledge with the next generation of researchers through Jams, workshops and lectures.

**Keia Barua**
Keia Barua is Senior Consultant at Quicksand studios, where she leverages a combination of design thinking and business frameworks to tackle clients' toughest challenges. She is passionate about building products, services or experiences that satisfy customer needs, deliver meaningful impact and drive transformational growth.

A creative problem solver, Keia has experience across qualitative research, product management and strategy. Prior to Quicksand she worked as a consultant for the creative and cultural sector helping organisations build their brand positioning and identify new opportunities for growth and impact. At Quicksand she has worked on projects ranging from mapping the arts and tech sector in India to designing a graduation program for urban ultra poor. Keia earned her BFA in Textile design from the Savannah College of and Design, and an MBA from Yale University.

**Schedule:**
7pm: Doors open
7.30pm: Talk starts
8.30/9pm: End

**This event is sponsored by:**
[Fruto (UX & Product Design)](https://fruto.design/)

Nanami Nakamura

James Morris

Mariana Morris

UX Oxford

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Making knowledge actionable with the International Labor Organisation (ILO)

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