Design Do! Think!

Session 1 (June 10th) - Introduction & Project Search This first session is split into an orientation session – which is an overview and introduction to the whole series. Then a session about empathy and searching for a project – this involves developing a sense of empathy towards the people you are designing for, to gain insights into what they need, what they want. You will interview your classmates to try and find a project theme. Session 2 (June 17th) Idea Generation An introduction to idea generation, using various visual stimulus and methods to produce a wide variety of creative ideas from obvious to crazy to consider for further development. All ideas are good ideas at this stage. Session 3 (June 24th) Prototyping The best way to succeed is to fail fast. In this session we think thru’ making (it is idea generation with things!) in order to develop ideas and create quick prototypes to be used to evaluate new design. Session 4 (July 1st) Concept Distillation Clarity of thinking and good judgement is key to identifying the best idea in front of you to take forward. This session is about taking a step back from the ideas and through analysis and discussion you decide the idea to proceed with. Session 5 (July 8th) Testing People Checking the response to ideas and iterating the concepts is vital to developing a robust and delightful final idea. User simulations and character role play are used to prove out ideas. Session 6 (July 22nd) Refine This is time to improve the ideas following the testing and rebuild the prototypes and create supporting visuals. Tutorial feedback guides the development of the idea and evolution of the final outputs. Session 7 (July 29th) Presenting and Reviewing In this last session participants present and demonstrate their new ideas. The aim to inform and persuade the audience about their concept. Everyone takes part in the critical discussion of the presented ideas and giving feedback is part of the challenge.

This course will be taught entirely in English language. There will be seven sessions in total with one session (3.5 hours) every week (approximately). It will be a step by step process; each week there will be an introductory talk (briefing) on the project based activities; then project work (main part) and at the end of the session a short review / further briefing. Feedback is given via tutorial style reviews, informal discussion and participation from the group is encouraged. This is not a lecture based, fact absorbing course, it is experiential - the best way to learn design methods is to do them. Everyone will be doing design.

You will be evaluated on: Engagement - participation and involvement with the class Articulation - ability to explain your work (visually and verbally); do not worry about not having these skills initially, your improvement and learning is what is key. Creative output - design ultimately is looking for good ideas developed well, so even in this short class the outputs you create through the class and at the end are important.

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Please note this is a Design Thinking class and is exactly the same as Design Thinking 1 (3729-078) class run in S Semester, and the same as Design Thinking II (3729-079) and Extreme Technology Innovation (4990340 - which has the wrong name due to a registration error) run in the A Semester. Advice for students: Who is this seminar series for? It is for those people interested in: - Creative idea generation techniques for design. - Design innovation for real world markets. - Experiencing the teaching style of the Design Lab What do you need to join? - An enthusiasm to learn (this seminar series is open to all, you don’t have to be from a design background or know anything at all about design) - A collaborative attitude, the workshop will be carried out in teams.

Do you ever look at things in the world and wonder why they aren’t better; do you ever catch yourself dreaming of different worlds and trying to imagine them real. Are you relentlessly curious; do you crave for change and are not satisfied with ‘good enough’; are you never put off by failure and unstoppable in the pursuit of perfection? You should be, and you can be. Design is force for change and you could be the change maker – this is an introductory course that hopefully will show you that everyone and anyone can design, and change the world.