Engagement and Impact: Design Thinking and the Arts

That computer mouse that fits so nicely in your hand, the way your iPhone reacts to your creative way of spelling, the “so simple why didn’t I think of that?” processes you encounter every day — these are the result of design thinking, a sequential process embraced by innovative companies and entrepreneurs. Design thinking, or human-centered design, is an empowering way to solve problems and design products and solutions by starting with discovery, moving on to ideation and rapid prototyping, then testing, and finally execution.

How can this high-level, innovative style of problem solving work in a classroom or after-school program? Quite well, actually. The West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology (WMCAT) engages urban high school students in a best-practice after-school program that is grounded in design thinking. I’ll share our journey so that you can find ways to enhance your own learning environment through design thinking.

6 Steps to a Student-Created Mobile App
WMCAT teen students are working in teams to explore and tackle a pressing community issue using arts and technology as a basis for inquiry, critical thinking and practical application. Each team has 12 students, is guided by a professional teaching artist, and meets two days a week for the entire school year. Here’s the story of how one of these teams is using the design thinking process.

Our Interactive design team went all out with new technology to address how teens can better engage with their city’s downtown core. They partnered with Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI) and local software development firm Mutually Human to create a mobile app.

Step 1: Discover
Our teens toured downtown Grand Rapids with staff from DGRI, visited the offices of Mutually Human, interviewed teens about their perceptions of downtown, and researched other apps on the market.

Step 2: Ideate
Through intense brainstorming, the teens began to coalesce around two themes: zombies and spies!

Step 3: Experiment
The teens began prototyping by creating storyboards for their app. The basic premise was that users would follow a sequential adventure through which visiting key locations downtown would advance the action. Their storyboard was presented to DGRI.

Step 4: Create
All details of the app were developed, including color schemes, transitions, flow of screens, graphics and writing.

Step 5: Refine
The final storyboard and prototype will be presented to DGRI and at a public art exhibit to gain feedback. Feedback is used to refine the project and fine-tune details.

Step 6: Share
This summer, Mutually Human staff will help complete the back-end work on the app so that it can be available on mobile device platforms.

Why design thinking? WMCAT wanted to increase retention and high school graduation rates for our students. We learned through research and evaluation that we could have a greater impact by increasing engagement with a smaller group of students, rather than increasing the number of students coming through our doors. We also wanted to empower students to raise their voices and effect social change. After all, WMCAT is their space to find their voice and change the world in which they live.

Human-Centered Design
Design thinking and project-based learning surfaced as an essential model in innovative school redesign that improves students’ attitudes toward learning. One of the stars in project-based learning was High Tech High (HTH) in San Diego. The WMCAT Teen Arts team traveled to HTH to complete a residency with their staff on the merits, metrics and ins-and-outs of project-based learning. Back in Grand Rapids, we also selected a team to complete a course in Human-Centered Design for Social Innovation from IDEO and Acumen. And then, last summer I was lucky enough to study at the famed d.school at Stanford, where I began to learn just how we could transform our program for teens.

After piloting design thinking as our pedagogy this past school year, we have learned a few things:

The best projects are student-driven and student-led. The more we engaged our teens in choosing their issues, selecting their partners and driving the conversation, the stronger the projects were.
Give students plenty of opportunities to complete mini design challenges along the way. This helped us teach art and tech skills, kept ideas fresh and retained student interest.
Keep giving staff the opportunity to learn and practice design thinking. This spring, our entire team is completing a Mixtape course designed by the d.school at Stanford and refreshing our skills through the IDEO and Acumen course again.
There are great resources out there. To learn more about our design teams and our plans for fall 2014 visit our website. And in the comments section below, please share how you use design thinking in the classroom or in after-school programs.

Engagement along with Impact: Structure Thinking as well as Arts

That sensitive mouse that fits for that reason nicely in your hand, just how your iphone 3gs reacts to the creative tool for spelling, the very “so very simple why failed to I think of these? ” functions you encountered every day — these are the result of design planning, a sequential process taken up by innovative companies and even entrepreneurs. Structure thinking, or perhaps human-centered structure, is an empowering way to work out problems and even design products and solutions by starting with discovery, shifting to ideation and fast prototyping, next testing, and lastly execution.

How does this high-level, innovative model of problem solving give good results in a class room or after-school program? Quite nicely, actually. The exact West Mich Center to get Arts and Technology (WMCAT) engages metropolitan high school students inside of a best-practice after-school program that is grounded with design believing. I’ll share our journey so that you can locate ways to raise your own studying environment by design considering.

6 Methods to a Student-Created Mobile Request
WMCAT teen scholars are working throughout teams to learn and take on a demanding community dilemma using patte and concept as a structure for request, critical considering and program. Each workforce has 13 students, can be guided by someone that installs systems for a living teaching performer, and fits two days per week for the entire education year. The following is the story of how one of these clubs is using the design thinking practice.

Our Interesting design company went radical with new technology to address just how teens can easily better engage their city’s downtown central. They combined with Town center Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI) and local computer software development firm Mutually People to create a mobile app.

Step 1: Discover
Our teenage years toured downtown Grand Rapids with personnel from DGRI, visited the actual offices connected with Mutually Individuals, interviewed adolescence about their ideas of down-town, and investigated other blog on the market.

2: Ideate
Through impressive brainstorming, the particular teens did start to coalesce around two templates: zombies and also spies!

Step three: Experiment
The teens began prototyping by designing storyboards because of their app. The usual premise ended up being that end users would keep to sequential quest through which checking out key destinations downtown could advance the action. Their whole storyboard was basically presented that will DGRI.

Step: Create
https://essaywriterusa.com/ All details of the practical application were developed, including color schemes, transitions, movement of projector screens, graphics along with writing.

Step five: Refine
The final storyboard and standard will be exposed to DGRI and at your public work exhibit to realize feedback. Suggestions is used to refine the exact project and even fine-tune info.

Step 6: Promote
This summer, Mutually Individuals staff helps complete the main back-end operate on the practical application so that it is often available on cellular device websites.

Why style and design thinking? WMCAT wanted to increase retention in addition to high school graduation rates for our students. People learned with research and also evaluation that we all could have a wider impact by way of increasing engagement with a more compact group of young people, rather than boosting the number of college students coming by our entry doors. We additionally wanted to allow students to improve their noises and benefit social change. After all, WMCAT is their very own space to uncover their words and replace the world that has they reside.

Human-Centered Model
Design thinking together with project-based discovering surfaced as a possible essential unit in progressive school renovate that increases students’ conduct toward discovering. One of the super stars in project-based learning was initially High Tech Large (HTH) with San Diego. The very WMCAT Adolescent Arts group traveled to HTH to complete a good residency by their staff over the merits, metrics and ins-and-outs of project-based learning. Last Grand Rapids, we as well selected a team to carry out a course throughout Human-Centered Design for Social Innovation from IDEO and Perspicuousness. And then, latter summer We were lucky enough to review at the credited d. college at Stanford, where I just began to learn just how we were actually able to transform each of our program intended for teens.

After piloting pattern thinking since our pedagogy this past university year, we have learned a handful of things:

The most beneficial projects are actually student-driven and student-led. A lot more we involved our adolescents in deciding on their challenges, selecting their valuable partners and also driving often the conversation, the stronger often the projects had been.
Provide students a good amount of opportunities to comprehensive mini layout challenges along the route. This really helped us show art in addition to tech knowledge, kept recommendations fresh and also retained student interest.
Keep getting staff possibilities to learn and practice layout thinking. This spring, each of our entire company is concluding a Mixtape course developed by the def. school within Stanford as well as refreshing the skills through the IDEO in addition to Acumen course again.
There are good resources in existence. To learn more about some of our design competitors and our plans just for fall 2014 visit our website. And in the section following, please talk about how you use design wondering in the classroom or perhaps in after-school programs.