鈥�Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer鈥檚 toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.鈥� 鈥擳im Brown, president and CEO, IDEO
As mindset and toolset, as pedagogy and professional learning, as improvement and innovation framework, design thinking has come center stage in U.S. K-12 education.
Sandy Speicher () has a lot to do with this new edu-meme. She leads the education team at , a San Francisco-based design shop.
鈥淒esign thinking is a human-centered approach to problem-solving,鈥� said Speicher. 鈥淚t reflects how designers think and act--both mindset and tools,鈥� added Speicher. 鈥淚t鈥檚 solving problems to make the world better.鈥�
Here鈥檚 more from a recent conversation Sandy and I had around design thinking and how important it is in education right now:
Design thinking was discussed in science, engineering and architecture in the 70鈥檚 and 80鈥檚. David Kelly, co-founder of IDEO, began applying it to business in the 90s along with the rise of business process reengineering (advocated by ) and systems thinking (advanced by ).
Like the scientific method, design thinking can be applied to a broad set of opportunities and challenges. Through an iterative process, design thinking seeks solutions that are desirable, viable and feasible.
鈥淭eachers are designing all the time, but don鈥檛 think of themselves as designers,鈥� said Speicher. To make it more accessible, Sandy鈥檚 team developed a toolkit, , to give teachers 鈥渢he tools and methods they need to apply design thinking鈥攄iscovery, interpretation, ideation, experimentation and evolution.鈥�
IDEO built the in a professional learning network called the . Teachers share solutions and strategies.
The Teachers Guild has great coaches like our friend Moss Pike (below, see a ). They guide idea development, run events, and lead community toward designing innovative solutions.
Design thinking starts by imagining alternative futures. Sandy recommends field trips as powerful learning experiences--a great way to experience new norms and contexts (listen to at Democracy Prep and at University Academy).
Design thinking is as important students as it is for teachers according to Speicher. (We agree and think the best prep for life with smart machines is using design thinking to navigate
We鈥檝e found evidence of design thinking in in South Africa and at innovative high schools including in San Diego and in Boise. In higher education, the best example of design thinking is near Boston.
After observing students exercising design thinking in Ahmedabad, India, Sandy said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 unbelievable what kids see and want to solve.鈥�
Design Thinking For EdLeaders
Design thinking raises new issues and opportunities for school and system leaders.
A new divide we should worry about, according to Speicher, is youth equipped with design skills and those that don鈥檛. Understanding stakeholders and exercising continuous problem solving are 鈥渆ssential skills in this world,鈥� said Speicher.
With all the focus on standards master, it has been hard to find time for inquiry-based learning. Sandy said, 鈥淲e shouldn鈥檛 shy away from that tension.鈥� She added, 鈥淲e know character strengths, mindsets and dispositions are important,鈥� and deeper learning activities including design thinking investigations are a great way to develop these new priority outcomes
With support from the Stanford d.school and Hewlett Foundation, IDEO developed , a toolkit and fellowship for EdLeaders that redesign school culture using small experiments called 鈥渉acks.鈥� These hacks may start small, but are designed to lead to , and can create the kind of big change you aspire to鈥攏amely, preparing your students for life in the real world.
Through this year鈥檚 recent , IDEO encouraged EdLeaders to follow a student around for a day to better appreciate the learner experience.
For more, see: