What is Design Thinking?

Design Thinking is a mindset. Design thinking is about believing we can make a difference, and having an intentional process in order to get to new, relevant solutions that create positive impact. Design Thinking gives you faith in your creative abilities and a process for transforming difficult challenges into opportunities for design.

It’s Human-Centered. Design Thinking begins from deep empathy and understanding of needs and motivations of people—in this case, the students, teachers, parents, staff and administrators who make up your everyday world.

It’s Collaborative. Several great minds are always stronger when solving a challenge than just one. Design Thinking benefits greatly from the views of multiple perspectives, and others’ creativity bolstering your own.

It’s Optimistic. Design Thinking is the fundamental belief that we all can create change—no matter how big a problem, how little time or how small a budget. No matter what constraints exist around you, designing can be an enjoyable process.

In short, Design Thinking is the confidence that new, better things are possible and that you can make them happen.

- from IDEO's Design Thinking for Educators

Design Thinking for Educators Toolkit.pdf

Design Thinking for Educators toolkit ©2012 IDEO LLC. All rights reserved. http:// designthinkingforeducators.com/

"Best of" Resources from Stanford d.School:

Design Thinking Process.pptx

Design Thinking Process overview

Stoke_Deck_FINAL.pdf

Stokes are short get-up-and-move exercises to get energize, focus, and/or spark creativity in the room

ModeGuideBootcamp.pdf

Design Thinking Process Guide from Stanford d.School

dschool_bootleg_deck_2018_final_sm+(2).pdf

Active Toolkit from Stanford d. School

Design Thinking at Trinity:

DesignFest is an annual hands-on K-8 learning spectacular, harnessing a design-thinking framework to create innovative solutions to challenges all around us.

See also Trinity design challenge templates on the Design Challenges page.

The temporary theme for DesignFest 2019-20 is "Teachers as Designers" and all classrooms will integrate design thinking lessons in context of their curricula over the school year, celebrating student discoveries and innovative ideas on March 13th, 2020. See faculty TALL (Teachers as Leaders and Learners) Tuesday training:

190924 TALL Tuesday: Design Thinking in the Classroom

TALL Tuesday Full Faculty Workshop, Sept. 24, 2019. Preparation for DesignFest 2019-20: Teachers and Students Designers

Sept. 24, 2019 workshop notes from English department

190815 Faculty DesignThinking Exercise: Carpool Handout

Full Faculty Design Thinking training exercise: "Reimagining the Carpool Experience," Aug. 15, 2019. Faculty handout. Also see facilitation slideshow.

TALL Tuesday Design Thinking Review For Faculty/Staff

TALL Tuesday faculty workshop series recap, 2017-18