Design Thinking: The Process for Future Success

Maria Lisa Polegatto - January 15, 2024

Design Thinking: The Process for Future Success

---

Design thinking is an avenue to innovate change through empathy, collaboration (IDEO U, 2018) and optimism (Argawal, 2013) to solve human centered (IDEO LLC., 2012) issues or problems though interviews and observations (DavidLeeEdTech, 2018a) with both educators and students unlocking learning (Argawal, 2013) around school curriculum, spaces, processes and tools, and systems (IDEO LLC., 2012). With a shift of mindset to an ​“I can” attitude (Edutopia, 2018) we can all be part of change for new ways of being. Sometimes adults view change as bad, but change can also be good.

​Design thinking can restore culture and traditions (Design for Change, 2014). My mother’s side of my family grew up with Acadian French, but it was lost moving to English communities. When my son was learning French in elementary school, my mom would help, and she said she learned to say things differently than French being taught in school.

---

Design thinking involves a process that has a series of steps which are:

• ​“Feel,
• Imagine,
• Do, and
• Share (FIDS)” using three lenses: feasibility, desirability, viability, in loops of designing (IDEO U, 2018).

Argawal (2013) identifies the steps as:

1.  identifying an issue in surroundings being passionate about change guided by lenses of “social, emotional, and physical”;
2. children imagine ways of changing an issue to find goals for a solution;
3. taking action by creating a protype, obtaining feedback, revising, allocating responsibilities, creating a timeline;
4. collaboration, voting on decisions, innovating solutions, learning strengths, and sharing findings (Argawal, 2013); and 
5. ​evolve for the future by tracking keeping track of success (IDEO LLC., 2012).

In the classroom “problem-based learning environment” learners develop skills for “leadership, creativity, collaboration, empathy, and communication” while educators have a better perspective of insight and believing in a learner’s abilities (Argawal, 2013). The process also provides students with opportunities to “observe, question, compare,” and produce their own understanding” by “being critical co-investigators” while teachers learn simultaneously. Both contribute equally with open and free discussions and “collective brainstorming” (Argawal, 2013).
​
Design thinking allows students to develop real life solutions to real life issues. Children are observant and can identify creative ways to find solutions. Adults can learn from design thinking by trusting the process and allowing children to be involved giving students more confidence and connection. When teachers and learners work and think together, they can all collaborate to design real life solutions.

---

Further Resources

---

Design Thinking for Educators Toolkit 

OpenSciEd - Creating classrooms with inspired educators & motivated learners.

---

References

---

Argawal (2013) Design thinking for change.

DavidLeeEdTech. (2018a). Improving School Experiences with Design Thinking. Microsoft Bing. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Improving%2Bschool%2Bexperiences%2Bwith%2Bdesign%2Bthinking&&view=detail&mid=A63EDF98BAB88BED1C73A63EDF98BAB88BED1C73&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DImproving%2Bschool%2Bexperiences%2Bwith%2Bdesign%2Bthinking%26FORM%3DHDRSC4 
​
Design for Change. (2014, October 11). BTC2014 Colombia : Power of language. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlLA_xHflUY&list=PLOS7LSVwOyfKRlkAjEm27d0mrSuwQVFUv&index=11

Edutopia. (2018). Empowering Students With Design Thinking. Microsoft Bing. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Empowering%2Bstudents%2Bwith%2Bdesign%2Bthinking&&view=detail&mid=2D5198CA0396730CE99D2D5198CA0396730CE99D&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DEmpowering%2Bstudents%2Bwith%2Bdesign%2Bthinking%26FORM%3DHDRSC4

IDEO LLC. (2012). Design thinking for educators - schools.ednet.ns.ca. schools.ednet.ns.ca. https://schools.ednet.ns.ca/avrsb/070/psyme/DesignThinkingForEducators/Design%20Thinking%20Toolkit%20v2.pdf
 
IDEO U. (2018). What is Design Thinking?. Microsoft Bing. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Design%2Bthinking%2BDavid%2BKelley&&view=detail&mid=E42511AE45FD130D8319E42511AE45FD130D8319&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DDesign%2520thinking%2520David%2520Kelley%26qs%3Dn%26form%3DQBVR%26%3D%2525eManage%2520Your%2520Search%2520History%2525E%26sp%3D-1%26pq%3Ddesign%2520thinking%2520david%2520kelley%26sc%3D10-28%26sk%3D%26cvid%3D72FB846CDA0C47E7B38629C486DBA550%26ghsh%3D0%26ghacc%3D0%26ghpl%3D

---

#learning #academictwitter #education #designthinking #sustainability #knowledge #innovation #brainstorm #collaborate #creativity #leadership #communication