Welcome to Day 4!
Welcome to Day 4!
So far we’ve really drilled down on design thinking and the importance of each step in the process. One thing we haven’t talked about as much is the importance of clear communication. You may have experienced some pain points in your interview practice yesterday, so we’re going to practice our communication skills and practice even more design thinking!
So far we’ve really drilled down on design thinking and the importance of each step in the process. One thing we haven’t talked about as much is the importance of clear communication. You may have experienced some pain points in your interview practice yesterday, so we’re going to practice our communication skills and practice even more design thinking!
Today, we’ll explore:
Today, we’ll explore:
- The importance of clear communication with LEGO blocks
- What it looks like to do this sort of work professionally
- Building a container to address a client’s needs
Getting Started
Getting Started
STEM Challenge: Clear Communication
STEM Challenge: Clear Communication
This activity challenges us to carefully consider the words we use, how we instruct others, in what order we might share useful information and other types of communication.
This activity challenges us to carefully consider the words we use, how we instruct others, in what order we might share useful information and other types of communication.
Materials Needed:
Materials Needed:
- You - Principal Engineer
- Legos or other building blocks
- Partner/client
Instructions:
Instructions:
- Create two sets of identical bricks (number and style). One for you as the principal engineer and another for your client. We recommend 15-20 bricks.
- Read through the remaining instructions BEFORE you start with your client!
- First Challenge: The principle engineer privately builds a structure of their choosing with any or all of their bricks. Make sure the client doesn’t see your structure. You’ll then tell your client how to replicate this structure step-by-step. However, only you can talk and you cannot see the structure they’re building.
- Second Challenge: Similar to the first challenge, the client will privately build a new structure of their choosing and instruct the principal engineer on how to build. This time, both parties are allowed to talk and ask questions. However, neither of you is allowed to see each other’s structures until completed.
- Third Challenge: The principal engineer will build a new structure privately with some or all of the selected blocks. As the client builds the structure per the principal engineers instructions, both parties are able to communicate verbally and the principal engineer can see the client's build and correct any missteps as they happen.
Bonus competitions:
Bonus competitions:
- Each competitor has the same number and kind of block (we recommend 15-20). Set a timer for one minute and see who can build the tallest tower. The tower must remain standing for one minute after the time ends.
- Each competitor has the same number and kind of block (we recommend 10-15). Set a timer for one minutes and see who can build a structure that hangs off the edge of a table or other surface. The winner is the individual with the most number of blocks hanging off the surface plane. The structure must remain intact for one minute after the time ends.
Professions Involving Design Thinking
Professions Involving Design Thinking
Source: https://designthinking.ideo.com/blog/5-new-design-careers-for-the-21st-century
Fancy a career in design? Thirty years ago, the options were limited. You either got an engineering degree and then went to design school, or you went to art school and studied graphic design, architecture, or industrial design.
Fancy a career in design? Thirty years ago, the options were limited. You either got an engineering degree and then went to design school, or you went to art school and studied graphic design, architecture, or industrial design.
Today, things are very different. Thanks to the still-booming Silicon Valley, interaction and user-experience designers have been added to the mix, but those aren’t the only opportunities for design thinkers. Even graduates of non-traditional programs can embark on exciting design careers. To wit, here are five new design careers for the 21st century.
Today, things are very different. Thanks to the still-booming Silicon Valley, interaction and user-experience designers have been added to the mix, but those aren’t the only opportunities for design thinkers. Even graduates of non-traditional programs can embark on exciting design careers. To wit, here are five new design careers for the 21st century.
The Designer Coder
The Designer Coder
Prototyping has always been a critical part of design, but in today's online, app-based economy, the preferred prototyping medium is increasingly code. Designers who can also code possess a powerful set of tools. There are thousands of positions open to those who have the skills to conceive new ideas and the ability to launch them quickly into the market.
Prototyping has always been a critical part of design, but in today's online, app-based economy, the preferred prototyping medium is increasingly code. Designers who can also code possess a powerful set of tools. There are thousands of positions open to those who have the skills to conceive new ideas and the ability to launch them quickly into the market.
The Design Entrepreneur
The Design Entrepreneur
Combining entrepreneurialism and design is the hot thing in Silicon Valley these days. Every start-up worth its salt has a designer on its founding team. Venture capital firms are including designers in their inner circles, too. More importantly, many of the fastest-growing companies are succeeding because they’ve designed a highly appealing product or service. Just look at Uber or Airbnb. If you have the design skills to craft the right product—and the entrepreneurial grit to see things through—there’s never been a better time to be a design entrepreneur.
Combining entrepreneurialism and design is the hot thing in Silicon Valley these days. Every start-up worth its salt has a designer on its founding team. Venture capital firms are including designers in their inner circles, too. More importantly, many of the fastest-growing companies are succeeding because they’ve designed a highly appealing product or service. Just look at Uber or Airbnb. If you have the design skills to craft the right product—and the entrepreneurial grit to see things through—there’s never been a better time to be a design entrepreneur.
The Hybrid Design Researcher
The Hybrid Design Researcher
Once upon a time, design researchers came from backgrounds in anthropology, ethnography, or psychology. Deep qualitative research was the secret to discovering unmet needs. While it’s still a successful design-research strategy, these more traditional methods are now being combined with real-time data to reveal user behavior. Knowing how to tap into technology to uncover how individuals and groups really think and act is an essential part of innovation. If you love people and love crunching data, this might be the design career for you.
Once upon a time, design researchers came from backgrounds in anthropology, ethnography, or psychology. Deep qualitative research was the secret to discovering unmet needs. While it’s still a successful design-research strategy, these more traditional methods are now being combined with real-time data to reveal user behavior. Knowing how to tap into technology to uncover how individuals and groups really think and act is an essential part of innovation. If you love people and love crunching data, this might be the design career for you.
The Business Designer
The Business Designer
Business design may seem like a contradiction if you think about business purely from an operational lens. If you’re a business designer, however, you’re not just looking for innovation from an end product or service. You’re looking at the business model, channel strategy, marketing, supply chain, and a million other things. In truly disruptive innovations, all aspects of the business are up for grabs. Think about the early days of Google. Search innovation was what we experienced as users, but it was by attaching search results to advertising—a business model innovation—that made the company billions. If you have a passion for operations and a desire to flex your creative muscles to create new business systems, then becoming a business designer is the way to go.
Business design may seem like a contradiction if you think about business purely from an operational lens. If you’re a business designer, however, you’re not just looking for innovation from an end product or service. You’re looking at the business model, channel strategy, marketing, supply chain, and a million other things. In truly disruptive innovations, all aspects of the business are up for grabs. Think about the early days of Google. Search innovation was what we experienced as users, but it was by attaching search results to advertising—a business model innovation—that made the company billions. If you have a passion for operations and a desire to flex your creative muscles to create new business systems, then becoming a business designer is the way to go.
The Social Innovator
The Social Innovator
Creating maximum positive impact on the planet is often the main motivation as a designer. Today, many of those problems—poverty alleviation, access to clean water, financial inclusion, health services for the poor, livable cities, and many more—are in the social sector. Until recently, the only way designers could contribute to these issues was to do small, pro-bono projects or to do research stints within academia. But now, large organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, and others, have enthusiastically embraced design thinking. At the same time, non-profit design companies like D-Rev, Design that Matters, IDEO.org, and others are collaborating with social entrepreneurs and NGOs to bring exciting new innovations to those most in need. For perhaps the first time in the history of design, it’s possible to make a career designing for the social sector.
Creating maximum positive impact on the planet is often the main motivation as a designer. Today, many of those problems—poverty alleviation, access to clean water, financial inclusion, health services for the poor, livable cities, and many more—are in the social sector. Until recently, the only way designers could contribute to these issues was to do small, pro-bono projects or to do research stints within academia. But now, large organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, and others, have enthusiastically embraced design thinking. At the same time, non-profit design companies like D-Rev, Design that Matters, IDEO.org, and others are collaborating with social entrepreneurs and NGOs to bring exciting new innovations to those most in need. For perhaps the first time in the history of design, it’s possible to make a career designing for the social sector.
These are just a handful of exciting new design careers to get you thinking about a future in this discipline. Given the urgent, complex challenges our world faces, expect more.
These are just a handful of exciting new design careers to get you thinking about a future in this discipline. Given the urgent, complex challenges our world faces, expect more.
Learn about Make a Difference Engineering (MADE at TU)
Learn about Make a Difference Engineering (MADE at TU)
Since the 1970s, TU mechanical engineering students have focused their talents on projects that address the special needs of local residents with physical and developmental disabilities. As word of their efforts spread, the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences started receiving donations in support of this initiative.
Since the 1970s, TU mechanical engineering students have focused their talents on projects that address the special needs of local residents with physical and developmental disabilities. As word of their efforts spread, the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences started receiving donations in support of this initiative.
Then-Dean Steve Bellovich took a keen interest in these projects and offered students funds from his budget. The venture became known as the Make a Difference Engineering (MADE at TU) initiative, a program that has fundamentally improved the lives of many disabled children in northeast Oklahoma through the design and development of mobility aids and other adaptive devices.
Then-Dean Steve Bellovich took a keen interest in these projects and offered students funds from his budget. The venture became known as the Make a Difference Engineering (MADE at TU) initiative, a program that has fundamentally improved the lives of many disabled children in northeast Oklahoma through the design and development of mobility aids and other adaptive devices.
The social service aspect of MADE at TU is tremendously valuable to TU students and faculty: The technical challenges are comprehensive, and the client interactions are ideal exercises in developing design requirements.
The social service aspect of MADE at TU is tremendously valuable to TU students and faculty: The technical challenges are comprehensive, and the client interactions are ideal exercises in developing design requirements.
Learn about MADE at TU with John Henshaw
Learn about MADE at TU with John Henshaw
John Henshaw is the Department Chair and Harry H. Rogers Endowed Chair in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Tulsa.
Professor Henshaw is the faculty advisor for the MADE at TU student organization. Learn more about their important community work and some of the projects they recently completed.
Meet Julia Behlmann
Meet Julia Behlmann
Julia Behlmann is a junior at the University of Tulsa, majoring in mechanical engineering. Julia has been part of MADE since she arrived at TU in the fall of 2019. Julia served as project lead for an ambitious project to design and build a special tricycle for a six-year old girl with multiple physical challenges. Her team made great progress during the academic year just completed.
STEM@HOME Challenge: Container Project
STEM@HOME Challenge: Container Project
For our next challenge, you get to design an object with efficiency in mind. Use the following pages to help you design and prototype the perfect container for a toy manufacturer.
For our next challenge, you get to design an object with efficiency in mind. Use the following pages to help you design and prototype the perfect container for a toy manufacturer.
Materials Needed:
Materials Needed:
- 5 sheets of 8.5” x 11” cardstock
- Scissors
- Tape
- Colored pencils (optional)
- Silly Sand (optional)
Reflection
Reflection