The Asian Development Bank (ADB) plays a pivotal role in fostering sustainable economic growth and cooperation across Asia and the Pacific. As the development landscape becomes more complex, ADB recognized that traditional approaches alone were not enough. To meet evolving needs, the organization wanted to strengthen its internal capacity for innovation, ensuring staff had the tools and mindset to design solutions that truly put people first. On-Off Group partnered with ADB to introduce human-centered design practices and build a foundation for innovation capability across the institution.

The Challenge

ADB’s work involves diverse stakeholders — from governments and private sector partners to local communities. Staff often found themselves navigating competing priorities and deeply entrenched systems. While ADB teams were highly skilled in technical domains, they faced recurring challenges:

• Moving too quickly to solutions without fully understanding stakeholder needs.
• Operating in silos, limiting collaboration across disciplines.
• Limited opportunities to experiment and test ideas before scaling.

ADB leadership knew that if their people could approach problems with greater empathy, creativity, and collaboration, they could unlock new pathways for impact. What they needed was not just a training event, but a way to embed innovation capability into everyday work.

The Solution

On-Off Group designed a strategic program to build ADB’s capacity in human-centered design, directly supporting the organization’s 6 Pillars of Innovative Thinking. By linking Design Thinking practices with these pillars, the initiative reinforced ADB’s broader innovation strategy while giving staff practical tools to apply them in daily work.

The initiative was structured to go beyond theory, immersing participants in real challenges while giving them a repeatable framework they could use long after the program. Through guided sessions and hands-on application, participants learned how to:

• Build empathy by engaging directly with stakeholders and mapping their journeys.
• Reframe challenges into clear opportunities for innovation.
• Generate bold ideas through structured ideation and collaboration techniques.
• Prototype and test concepts early, reducing risk and validating assumptions.

The program also emphasized culture change — encouraging a mindset of curiosity, experimentation, and continuous improvement across teams.

The Results

The outcomes extended well beyond the program itself:

• New ways of working – Participants reported a shift in how they collaborate and problem-solve, focusing more on user needs and rapid experimentation.
• Tangible prototypes – Teams developed solutions addressing real ADB challenges, creating momentum for continued innovation.
• Internal champions – Staff left with not just new skills, but the confidence to act as advocates for innovation within their departments.

“This experience gave us the tools to reframe problems and test ideas quickly. It has changed the way we approach challenges at ADB.” – Participant

For ADB leadership, the initiative provided a blueprint for how human-centered design could enhance organizational capability, creating ripple effects across the institution.