Abstract:

When tasked with innovating creative solutions, redesigning products, or predicting future technologies, students are overwhelmed by the existence of modern solutions. I often hear my students’ utter words of worry: “everything already exists”. Without a doubt, brainstorming is one of the most crucial and iterative stages of the design process, but also the hardest stage for my students to master. Divergent thinking leads to creative ideas which, ideally, will lead to an optimized solution. So, how can we ensure that our students are equipped to embark on this creative journey? I propose that educators use a strategic method called Name by Function to get students thinking about their creative thought process, and ultimately, use it as a means to rethink introductions to design-based learning activities.