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Design Thinking: Definition and Meaning

Educationally and pedagogically written and reviewed by Academic Writer Maryna Polishchuk, MA and Academic Writer & Researcher Dr. Maryam Iftikhar, Ph.D.

What is Design Thinking

Design thinking refers to a creative and iterative approach to problem-solving based on human-centered design. It’s extremely useful for tackling complex problems that are unclear or unknown. It helps to understand human needs, reframe the problem in human-centric ways, generate ideas in brainstorming sessions, and adopt a hands-on approach to prototyping and testing.

In practice, the design process is a systematic approach to defining the problem, collecting data, brainstorming and developing ideas, selecting the best solutions, and implementing them. 

Stages of Design Thinking

Design thinking is a cyclic process and non-linear process. The stages of the design thinking model, which was set out by the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford, are the most commonly known. The five stages are:

Stage I: Empathize

The first step in design thinking is empathy, which mainly concerns the identification of the target audience. You want to understand the nature and scope of the problem that you are solving. Teachers can empathize by putting themselves in the students’ shoes, trying to learn as much as they can about their students’ experiences, needs, learning preferences, and difficulties. Teachers can complete questionnaires or organize interviews or focus group discussions with students to obtain information on students’ experiences, problems, and learning objectives. An educator observes students’ actions, feelings, and responses in class to better understand them.

Stage II: Define

During the define stage, you organize the data you collected during the empathize stage and evaluate your findings to identify the key issues you have defined up to this point. Empathizing with learners enables teachers to identify specific learning difficulties or aspects that need to be worked on in the classroom. To define, teachers can write objectives that define the goals and expected outcomes for solving the problem.

Stage III: Ideate

In stage III, you switch to viewing the problem from different angles and brainstorm new and creative approaches to your problem statement. The ideate stage can be used by the teachers to conduct idea-sharing sessions in which students develop innovative solutions to the challenges faced in learning. Students are expected to be creative by generating diverse ideas and solutions from various perspectives. Teachers should encourage participation in small groups or as a whole class to share and develop ideas.

Stage IV: Prototype

This is an experimental phase, and the goal is to determine the optimal solution for the problem identified in the first three phases. Students create mock solutions to their ideas through different modes, such as drawings, sketches, diagrams, or even role-play scenarios. Teachers can encourage students to test their prototypes in real or mock classroom settings and get feedback from other students and teachers to assess their performance.

Stage V: Test

This is the last stage of the five-stage model; however, in a cyclic process such as design thinking, the outcomes obtained are used to redefine the problem or identify a new one. The teacher collects information about the student’s progress in class through questionnaires, group discussions, and personal observations. With the help of feedback, the teacher assesses and analyzes the different aspects of the prototypes and makes improvements until the best solution is achieved. In the end, the teacher can apply the solution developed after the five stages and evaluate their effectiveness in meeting the identified learning difficulties in the classroom.

Design Thinking Benefits and Drawbacks

Integrating design thinking into the learning process offers significant benefits to learners and instructors alike. Teachers can create a student-centered learning environment by prioritizing students’ needs and interests, enhancing engagement and motivation. In the stages of ideation and prototyping, students are empowered to tackle real-life problems by generating unique ideas and solutions in a creative process.

Design thinking promotes group work and student interaction, which helps students develop good teamwork and interpersonal skills. Furthermore, it is an iterative process that creates opportunities for improvement, allowing students to navigate failure and challenges.

However, there are some limitations when applying design thinking in the classroom. Design thinking is highly demanding, requiring significant time and resources from teachers and students. This can make it challenging to implement in a current educational environment. Furthermore, it may not be applicable to all subjects or learning outcomes, and some students may struggle with the unclear solution to the problem. The emphasis on creativity and innovation could also negatively affect students who are strong in conventional academic ways. Finally, integrating design thinking into the classroom demands a shift in attitude and approach, which might not be readily embraced by teachers accustomed to traditional teaching methods.

Design Thinking: Teach Simple’s Perspective

At Teach Simple, we believe that integrating design thinking into the education system can revolutionize students’ traditional modes of learning. This innovative approach provides students with a comprehensive education that prepares them for exams and equips them with life skills. Design thinking also instils a growth mindset, encouraging students to embrace failure as a learning opportunity. By giving students the chance to work in groups, share ideas, and solve problems, design thinking cultivates relevant skills in almost every field of study.

In design thinking, students gain knowledge by investigating. Students contribute to defining the problems, generating ideas and solutions, and evaluating the solution. Teachers act as guides and mentors during this learning. Thus, by structuring the course activities around a problem and creating solutions, design thinking enhances important abilities like critical thinking, learning reflection, flexibility, teamwork, and systems thinking.

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