Design Thinking

Just as the Scientific Method is a process for discovering knowledge, Design Thinking is a process for creating innovative solutions to problems. Design Thinking is another hot topic in industry and education right now. Enjoy this list of resources to explore Design with your students.

The Stanford D.School's Design Thinking Model

Ready, Set, Design! (PDF Facilitator's Guide)

from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum

Models for Design Thinking With Students

• The Design Thinking Institute at the Nueva School. Kim Saxe is a terrific proponent of Design Thinking. Check out her Design Thinking Overview. The Institute hosts a weeklong Design Thinking workshop in the summer. Would be an amazing opportunity! Their Design Thinking model was one of the six that we shared.

• Mary Cantwell and her DEEP Design Thinking model is another of the six that we shared. She's great to follow on Twitter.

• Tools at Schools - This is the organization that sprung from the Design Thinking project with did with our 8th graders. They will come work with your students!

Resources

• Teach Thought put together a terrific list of 45 resources for Design Thinking including the the models put out by IDEO, frog design and the d.school.

• An Experience of Yes - Peter Gow, Independent Schools Magazine

• Museum of Art and Design (MAD) - They also have great education programs for students and teachers.

• The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has an incredible architecture and design department. Would be a great field trip.

• What if the Secret to Success is Failure? - Paul Tough, New York Times Magazine.

• Edutopia's Design Thinking: Lessons for the classroom.

• Edutopia on From STEM to STEAM.

• Edutopia on What is Design Thinking?

• Fast Company on Teaching Kids Design Thinking so They Can Solve the World's Problems.

• The Henry Ford's Learning Institute has a program on Design Thinking. They also have workshops for teachers.

• Check out the videos from Fun Theory including the piano stairs and the world's deepest trash bin. Awesome.

Design Thinking Book List

• A Whole New Mind - Dan Pink

  • Change By Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and Inspires Innovation - Tim Brown

  • The Ten Faces of Innovation - Tom Kelley

  • The Design of Everyday Things - Donald A. Norman

  • Make Space - Scott Doorley & Scott Witthoft

  • The Third Teacher - OWP/P Architects, VS Furniture & Bruce Mau Design

  • Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Toolkit for Managers - Jeanne Liedtka

  • Design for the Other 90% - Cynthia E. Smith

  • Designing for Social Change - Andrew Shea

  • Emotional Intelligence - Daniel Goleman

  • Mindset: The new psychology of success - Carol S. Dweck

  • 5 Minds for the Future - Howard Gardner

  • Ellen Lupton - An amazing design educator at The Cooper Hewitt. She's written a bunch of amazing design education books that are very accessible and inspiring.

  • Where Good Ideas Come From: The natural history of innovation - Steven Johnson

  • Bringing Innovation to School - Suzie Boss

• How Children Succeed: Grit, curiosity and the hidden power of character - Paul Tough