Designing the first national sport policy and strategy for Solomon Islands
Systems Research
Strategic Design
CLIENT
The Commonwealth
LOCATION
Solomon Islands
Chief Design Officer, Lead Researcher, Business Designer, Visual Designer
TEAM
Ahead of the 2023 Pacific Games, host nation Solomon Islands were committed to developing a National Sport and Recreation Policy and Strategy - ensuring a lasting legacy from the games.
The initiative was supported by The Commonwealth, a group of 56 independent sovereign states, including Solomon Islands, dedicated to international cooperation and development. The Commonwealth Secretariat offered technical assistance for the policy and strategy's development and implementation.
The primary objectives of this collaborative effort were to bring clarity to roles and responsibilities within the Solomon Islands sports sector, and maximise the contribution of sport and recreation to national development and achieving targeted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Commonwealth Secretariat partnered with Kinlab to craft the new National Sport and Recreation Policy and Strategy, leveraging our unique blend of human-centered design and systems thinking.
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Insight Services
Market analysis
Data analysis
Stakeholder consultation
Field research
Design Services
Policy design
Strategy design
“Givem space lo rollem ball.” [Give them space to play] – Pijin translation
Context is crucial: Understanding the local sport system and the relationship Solomon Islanders have with sport
At Kinlab, we relish the chance to work in developing nations. Not only does it align with our values, but it also allows us to apply our human-centered design research skills in diverse and unique environments.
Our mission was to gain a comprehensive picture of sport, and the role it played in the lives of Solomon Islands residents. This spanned everything from physical activity and play, to grassroots participation, high-performance and elite sport.
Unpacking the challenge and planning for success
To ensure a comprehensive view of the challenge, we first conducted a series of discovery workshops with staff from The Commonwealth Secretariat and the Solomon Islands government. The workshops explored the Commonwealth, national, and local sporting landscapes, and importantly, looked at the national culture and its intricate association with physical activity and sport.
With a well-defined purpose, ambition, and objectives for a human-centred strategic design program, our team created an inception report, including a research protocol.
Field study
Over four weeks, Kinlab immersed in the Solomon Islands. We observed, interviewed and conducted workshops with more than 120 sport administrators, participants, coaches and government officials from across the country.
Our approach was both formal and informal, and always mindful of and respectful to cultural dynamics. We sought to understand the unique world of sport through the eyes of officials, staff, volunteers and participants, uncovering insights into their lived experience.
Our research approach also included an extensive literature review of relevant work and projects inside and outside of The Commonwealth, Oceania and the Solomon Islands.
Co-designing with stakeholders
Kinlab brought officials from the Solomons Island government and The Commonwealth Secretariat together for a series of co-design sessions. Guided by our research insights, together people from across Solomon Islands sport collectively designed key elements of The National Sport Policy and Strategy.
Turning human-centred research into a National Sport Policy and Strategy
Back in the design studio, the team gathered all of the data from across our research and synthesised to surface key insights and strategic opportunities.
With a deep understanding of what was needed, and just as importantly what wouldn’t work, we crafted the inaugural National Sport Policy and Strategic Plan for the Solomon Islands. The plan not only catered to local needs but also aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring access to funding.
Collaborations in developing nations are both immensely enjoyable and profoundly challenging. They are a true test of the power of human-centred design in creating impactful solutions in sport.
Adrian Tobin
Kinlab Founder & Chief Design Officer
The Outcomes
The inaugural National Sport Policy and Strategy for the Solomon Islands was approved by The Commonwealth for adoption by the Solomon Island Government, and is currently being implemented across the country.
Milestones
Undertaking a successful sport focused human-centred field research study in a developing nation
Surfacing the relationship the people of the Solomon Islands have with physical activity and sport
Managing a highly complex multi-national stakeholder network to a successful project delivery
Delivering multi-lingual co-design sessions
Securing approval for the policy and strategy by The Commonwealth and the Solomons Island Government
Delivered
Project inception plan, including research protocol
Research and insights report
National Sport Policy white paper
Solomon Islands National Sport Policy
Solomon Islands National Sport Strategic Plan
Let's innovate the future of sport
Let's innovate the future of sport
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