Design Thinking

This is a month-long exploration of Design Thinking: a non-linear, iterative product design method that puts human beings at the center. Let’s get messy, let’s get out of our comfort zone, let’s push the boundaries, let’s redefine problems, let’s find innovative solutions. Come with a product idea of your own or use some common ideas hitting the market place right now.

We’re going to Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test those ideas! And then repeat. And repeat. And rep…you get the idea.

Games, puzzles, challenges - fun exercises to get your brain to imagine new possibilities to common problems. Or is it really the problem you thought it was? (“This is not the problem you’re trying to solve” - Qui-Gon Jinn).

The anticipated flow of the month will be as follows where one exercise will likely dominate the class time depending on student interest.

Week 1: Empathy and Define

Story Journey, getting uncomfortable, Point of View (POV)

Week 2: Ideate

1000 Uses, “But” or “And”?, Brainstorming techniques (storyboarding, mind mapping, SCAMPER, SWOT, 6 Thinking Hats, Wishing and Alter-Ego)

Week 3: Prototyping

Paper Prototypes, rapid prototyping, tools for prototyping

Week 4: Test

Conduct a test in class switching roles (tester or user). You will learn test set-up, scenarios, think-aloud, observation, and recording techniques.