Bringing Design Thinking into Every Classroom

Empathy is an essential skill to all designers and students of design. In the design thinking model empathy plays an important in the iterative process. Many educators have adopted the model of ‘design thinking’ to structure their lessons and curriculums.

A Practical Approach to Design Thinking in Schools

At the University of Warwick this has taken this methodology and started a project called ‘Topic-in-a-Box’

The University of Warwick's Widening Participation Team have launched Topic in a Box - an in-school activity that can either be a digital or physical box and provides a fun and interactive lesson linked closely to the GCSE curriculum. This is designed by staff or students at the University of Warwick. More boxes will be uploaded over the coming months.

The ‘Lesson in a Box format’ is used across the world to introduce hands-on, experiential learning in classrooms. The University of Warwick has created such boxes for use in STEM and Arts subjects, which provide interactive and curriculum-aligned materials for educators.

Having led design thinking initiatives across universities and organisations, Associate Professor Dr Bo Kelestyn, the project’s founder, saw firsthand how this approach fosters critical thinking, confidence, and collaboration among students. Each box includes:

●       Customisable Lesson Plans, adaptable to various subjects.

●       Interactive Activities, like the Pizza Design Challenge to foster empathy and creativity.

●       Video Tutorials to help teachers and students grasp design thinking concepts.

Insights from the Field: Teachers Speak Out

The development of this project has been deeply informed by educators and based on the Warwick Design Thinking Award, a collaboration between Warwick School (Kimberley Wyatt) and University of Warwick (Bo Kelestyn), creating the first accredited school design thinking qualification in the UK(EduQual). In interviews with educators from both institutions involved in the Award, several themes emerged that highlight the importance and challenges of integrating design thinking into the classroom:

1. Empathy as a Starting Point
   Teachers  reflected on the joy of "seeing genuine empathy at play," sharing how students who initially thought, "I’m not good with coming up with ideas," discovered through tools like SCAMPER that "anyone can learn and improve." Another teacher noted how powerful it was to watch boys (as the Award was made available at a boys boy’s school), who often face gendered stereotypes about lacking empathy, thrive in activities that allowed them to step into someone else’s shoes.
   
   Something for us to consider:  Start with activities that encourage students to understand others' perspectives. For instance, include exercises where students interview peers about their challenges and use those insights to inform their designs.
   
   
   

2. Overcoming Control Challenges
     Teachers shared that shifting from traditional teaching methods to a facilitator role can be daunting. "Loss of control was very hard," one participant said. "I’m used to structured lessons and defined deadlines." Another teacher added, "After 20 years of teaching, I feel like an expert, but I don’t feel like an expert in design thinking."
   
   Something for us to consider:  Design thinking doesn’t require abandoning structure; instead, it invites flexible scaffolding. Teachers can start small, with guided brainstorming sessions or short prototyping activities, and gradually allow for more open-ended exploration.
   
   
   

3. Using Dynamic Resources
    Practical challenges, such as scheduling user interviews or managing logistics, were frequently cited as barriers. One educator suggested using pre-recorded video interviews with different types of "users" to simulate the design process when real-world interaction isn’t feasible. Another noted, "Little activities and resources—even for just 5 minutes—like the warm up games (with a link) would help the lesson feel more dynamic."
   
   Something for us to consider:  Simplify logistics by using personas, videos, or case studies as stand-ins for real users, helping students practice empathy without added complexity. Use time constraints to make the lesson more dynamic.
   
   
   

4. Making the Process Relatable
     Teachers emphasized the importance of relatable examples. Activities that connect to everyday experiences—like designing the perfect pizza—made the process more engaging for students.

Something for us to consider:  Use fun, tangible challenges to introduce design thinking to your subject area. Design thinking can be used in science classes to prototype experiments, in English to design alternative endings for stories, or in geography to create solutions for local environmental challenges.

5. Teaching Ideation and Prototyping
    "The idea that a prototype can be sketched and rough and not perfect is quite a big shift for students," one teacher remarked. They shared how seeing professional designers use imperfect cardboard prototypes inspired their students to embrace the iterative nature of design.

Something for us to consider: Encourage them to see value in "rough drafts". You can help students overcome perfectionism through simple activities where they try to draw an animal with a non-dominant hand.