What is design thinking?

Design thinking is a mindset and approach for unraveling complex problems. At its core, it emphasises human-centred design, which means crafting solutions with a focus on users, their experiences, and their unique needs. It's about diving deep into their world to see issues from multiple perspectives.

Our approach follows the widely-used model of design thinking, encompassing five key stages:

Empathy: To create solutions that resonate, we step into the shoes of the user, understand their feelings, motivations, and struggles.

Define: With a focus on the user's perspective, we frame the problem that captures the user's needs.

Ideate: We brainstorm a wide range of ideas, no matter how unconventional, to foster innovation.

Prototype: Ideas take shape in this stage, as we build tangible models or representations to experiment with potential solutions.

Test: The user remains at the heart of the process as we test our prototypes, gathering insights that lead to user-centric improvements.

While the design thinking process includes five stages, each stage does not need to be followed in a linear fashion. In practice, design thinkers frequently revisit prior stages as they tackle complex issues. Furthermore, a design sprint isn't obliged to encompass every stage. If design thinking is new for you, you might opt for activities involving just one or two stages, allowing you to gradually become acquainted with the process. For example, this activity only uses three stages: Empathy, Define, and Ideation.

Let's explore the fundamental distinction between problem-centred and human-centered approaches by examining a the problem: How can we cross a river without getting wet? 

Problem-centred design

Problem-centred design is typically concerned with crafting a functional and structurally sound solution. Problem-centred design is concerned with addressing the following problems:

• Build a functional and structurally sound bridge.

• Perform regular maintenance for safety.

• Use modern materials and construction techniques for durability.

Human-centred design

Human-centred design seeks to create bridges that not only meet the technical requirements but also deeply consider the needs of the user. Human-centred design is concerned with addressing the following problems:

• Consult community for accessibility, aesthetics, or environmental impact.

• Minimise disruption of construction processes.

• Incorporate local labour and materials in construction.

Design thinking is a powerful problem-solving approach, but like any tool, it's most effective when used for the right type of challenge. While it offers an innovative lens for understanding and resolving complex problems, it's important to recognise that design thinking might not always be the best fit for every classroom scenario. Therefore, it's important to be purposeful when choosing to use design thinking.

Let's explore some example questions all about the topic of sand that may not be appropriate for a design thinking context, but might instead be better served by other subject areas.

Scientist: What environmental factors influence the colour and texture of different sand?

Mathematician: Are there more grains of sand on planet Earth or stars in the universe?

Medical doctor: Are there any documented cases of parasitic infections linked to contact with sand?

Historian: Were there historical incidents where sandstorms played a significant role in battles or military campaigns?

Etymologist: Why aren't sandwiches made out of sand?

Economist: How do fluctuations in the price of sand affect various sectors like construction and manufacturing?

Psychologist: How do sensory experiences with sand, like walking on a sandy beach, impact our mental health?

Engineer: How can we design more efficient methods for sand extraction and transport?

Now that we've explored these example questions, let's shift our focus to inquiries that could benefit from the application of design thinking approaches.

Design thinking: How can we keep sand from getting in our shoes when walking along the beach?

Design thinking: How might we design a sand bucket and castle mold that ensures the bucket lifts smoothly from the sandcastle, reducing the chances of crumbling or breaking during the removal process?

Design thinking: How might we use sandbags differently as an erosion control method to be more effective and environmentally friendly during extreme weather events?

Not all problems are suitable for a design thinking approach. When considering the integration of design thinking in your classroom, ask yourself whether design thinking is the most suitable approach for your given problem, or whether an alternative pedagogical approach might be better.