Engagement and Impact: Design Thinking and the Arts

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 together with Impact: Pattern Thinking and the Arts

That computer mouse that fits so nicely in the hand, the best way your apple company iphone reacts to your creative technique of spelling, typically the „so straightforward why decided not to I think of the? “ procedures you encounter every day – these are the consequence of design contemplating, a sequential process appreciated by impressive companies and even entrepreneurs. Model thinking, or perhaps human-centered design and style, is an strengthening way to answer problems along with design products and solutions by starting with discovery, shifting to ideation and speedy prototyping, after that testing, retrieve balls execution.

Just how do this high-level, innovative design of problem solving give good results in a college class or after-school program? Very well, actually. Typically the West Michigan Center meant for Arts and Technology (WMCAT) engages elegant high school students in the best-practice after-school program that may be grounded inside design imagining. I’ll discuss our outing so that you can discover ways to raise your own studying environment thru design considering.

6 Ways to a Student-Created Mobile Application
WMCAT teen students are working inside teams to learn and take on a troubling community challenge using activite and systems as a base for analysis, critical wondering and request. Each party has 14 students, is certainly guided by a professional installer teaching designer, and matches two days 7 days for the entire university year. The following is the story showing how one of these leagues is using the planning thinking approach.

Our Fascinating design staff went radical with new-technology to address how teens will be able to better build relationships their city’s downtown core. They combined with The downtown area Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI) and local program development company Mutually Individual to create a cell app.

1: Discover
Our young people toured down-town Grand Rapids with staff from DGRI, visited often the offices about Mutually People, interviewed teenage years about their perceptions of down-town, and checked out other programs on the market essay writer.

Step 2: Ideate
Through forceful brainstorming, often the teens begun to coalesce close to two themes: zombies and even spies!

Step three: Experiment
The young people began prototyping by developing storyboards for app. The principle premise has been that customers would adhere to sequential vacation through which traveling to key points downtown would definitely advance the very action. Their storyboard has been presented for you to DGRI.

Step four: Create
All information on the instance were made, including color schemes, transitions, pass of watches, graphics and also writing.

Step 5: Refine
The final storyboard and original will be brought to you to DGRI and at a good public artwork exhibit to do feedback. Reviews is used that will refine the actual project along with fine-tune facts.

Step 6: Publish
In this summer, Mutually People staff should help complete the particular back-end work on the application so that it are usually available on mobile phone device tools.

Why pattern thinking? WMCAT wanted to improve retention plus high school higher education rates for the students. All of us learned by research as well as evaluation we could have any impact through increasing engagement with a smaller sized group of pupils, rather than growing the number of pupils coming by means of our panels. We likewise wanted to allow students to improve their sounds and benefit social modification. After all, WMCAT is their valuable space to locate their tone and affect the world during which they are living.

Human-Centered Pattern
Style and design thinking together with project-based studying surfaced for an essential model in progressive school redesign that improves students’ posture toward finding out. One of the stars in project-based learning has been High Tech Substantial (HTH) with San Diego. The particular WMCAT Kid Arts group traveled to HTH to complete some residency using staff around the merits, metrics and ins-and-outs of project-based learning. In Grand Rapids, we at the same time selected the team to undertake a course inside Human-Centered The style of Social Development from IDEO and Longsightedness. And then, very last summer We were lucky enough to study at the well known d. classes at Stanford, where We began to understand just how we were able to transform all of our program regarding teens.

Once piloting style thinking like our pedagogy this past school year, we now have learned a few things:

The best projects tend to be student-driven plus student-led. The harder we engaged our young adults in picking their matters, selecting most of their partners together with driving the actual conversation, typically the stronger often the projects were definitely.
Grant students an abundance of opportunities to comprehensive mini layout challenges in the process. This really helped us show art along with tech expertise, kept concepts fresh and also retained individual interest.
Keep allowing staff the chance to learn in addition to practice pattern thinking. This unique spring, this entire staff is concluding a Mixtape course designed by the deb. school within Stanford and also refreshing our skills through the IDEO and Acumen tutorial again.
There are good resources to choose from. To learn more about some of our design teams and our own plans to get fall 2014 visit our website. And in the section listed below, please discuss how you use design considering in the classroom or possibly in after-school programs.