Interviews

In searching for empathy in our design thinking process, we must spend time with the people for whom we are designing. True understanding comes from meaningful dialogue and interaction. The most common way to gain this is through a well-planned interview. The good folks at the Stanford d.school have come through again with some great resources. Their interview cycle (see below) sparked a great discussion about times that students had been interviewed previously as well as about interviews they had witnessed on tv or online.

After our introduction to meaningful interviews, the students spent several days developing an interview plan. They learned effective interview strategies and techniques as well working through a brainstorming and refining session to determine their themes and questions. They will actually interview their chosen person on campus next week. The feedback from the interviewees should be highly beneficial.

What do you think makes an effective interview?

Why Empathy?

Here are several student reflections addressing the importance of empathy in the design process.

Imani writes:

When designing it is crucial that you empathize that way you are creating something that the user will actually use and it becomes something that is helpful. It helps you design based on their needs and their actions. You have to understand their needs in order to design something that will be useful. The article we read, states that the best solutions come out of the best insights on human-behavior. We have to change our mindset and the way we think in order to understand and see something we might not have seen before. By interacting with the user they might tell you something and then by what they said it can help discover/see something that they might not have even recognized. Then later when you create your design and you present it to them again you won’t have to start from square one because you will have already gathered your information and you can move forward instead of going backwards.

Cassie writes:

We can improve our sense of empathy by watching what people do and by trying to think what they think and recognize their behavior. Engaging with people directly reveals a tremendous amount about the way they think and the values they hold.

Ashley writes:

Empathy is important for not just design but for life. How will you know how to fix something without knowing what is wrong with it? If you are looking to create or enhance something, you must know what is bothering the user about it. You purpose in designing to please the user, not only yourself.  Improving our sense of empathy can be a simple task. All you have to do is observe and ask people questions. Try to understand why the people feel the way they feel. Personally, it is so easy to me.

Camren write:

Empathy is important in design because in order to create the most intimate product for the user, one must understand the user himself. When empathy is used in the design it allows the designer to be further acquainted with the person he is creating for. Some of the best and most advanced designs are tailored to our everyday needs.  We can improve our empathy skills by stepping outside of ourselves and not looking at things from a subjective point of view, although that is easier said than done for most people. We must accomplish this in order to really embody the ability to empathize.

First Prototypes

Day Two of Design Thinking at GACS-

Today, students got right into the design process with a little prototyping exercise, called, “Ready, Set, Design”. I found this resource through the Stanford d.school website. It was created by the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, at the Smithsonian. (Check it out). I gave my students a quick down and dirty on the purpose of prototyping and presented them with the challenge that I needed to keep my hands warm. (Rules: no re-creating something that already exists- use only some basic supplies to make their prototypes- finish in 15 minutes). The open-ended prompt led to prototypes for an usb-powered warming mat, a breath-powered warming pocket, and a solar oven inspired hand warmer, to name a few. The students really enjoyed the opportunity to make something. They, of course, were very creative and excited about the process. We will continue to unpack their first design experience next class.

Let us know what you think. What ideas do you have to solve the problem of cold hands?

We Start On Monday

Greetings World Wide Web. Well, I have been getting things prepared for the last few months and all that preparation is coming together on Monday. Monday is the first day of school. I am looking forward to spending some time getting to know the students that have signed up for something for which they had little understanding.

I am confident as we begin the year that students will enjoy the class. We will spend time working through design challenges, learning and exploring the Design Thinking process and then begin changing the world (excuse the cliche).

I believe the students will build their creative confidence and I anticipate the results of their collaborative work will be astounding.

I want to thank the folks at the Institute of Design at Stanford. Their resources have been very helpful.

I also want to thank my contact at IDEO for pointing me in the right direction.

And finally, I want to thank Ewan McIntosh for his personal assistance in framing this class.

Check back soon. The students will begin to weigh in with their thoughts and reflections in just a few days.