Regardless of the Lens you have chosen for this co-op experience, each one should be based and follow the principals of Design Thinking. Design thinking is a method of approaching a situation, problem, topic, issue, challenges, etc. that encourages you to see that ‘thing’ from different perspectives. The goal would be to then develop solutions or approaches to address your starting point. The design thinking framework developed by using approaches taken from designers from all industries and generalized into a commonly used work model. When it comes down to it, design thinking has some key elements including:

1. Clarifying, Research, or Empathize: Develop an understanding of your ‘users’ needs and current situation of your chosen topic 

2. Define: Find ways to articulate these needs to define your focus 

3. Ideate: Create ideas, possible solutions, or approaches to your topic based on your newly developed understanding. 

4. Develop or Prototype: Decide on a solution or approach and put it into play (build it, implement it, etc.) 

5. Implement or Test: implement and assess the success or outcome of the solution you developed to address your users needs

Depending on your chosen lens for this co-op experience, you will find yourself within the various stages of the design thinking process for different amounts of time. For example, if you have chosen to take on a school improvement initiative that is already kind of in the works in some capacity, you may spend less time empathizing and defining the topic and more time developing and implementing solutions. Whereas, if you chose a challenge focused lens you may need to spend more time researching and gaining understanding of your end user and the topic itself before you can begin to ideate.