DesignTech Programming Adds to Students' Repertoire of Solution Tools

Empowering diverse teams with human centered design tools to solve wicked, ambiguous problems at Michigan Tech

By Lisa Casper Husky Innovate Program Manager, Michigan Technological University; Faculty Innovation Fellows candidate

We live in a time where there are no shortages of problems. Whether we’re talking about the implications of COVID-19, climate change or social inequality, one need not look very far to become overwhelmed by all the work that there is to do. Reframing a bit, this is a time in which there is an abundance of rich opportunities ready for radical redesign.

Design firms such as IDEO, founded by David M. Kelly 30 years ago, led the way with its model for tackling product design challenges. Kelly, founder of the Stanford d.school, took its human centered design process, design thinking, to industry. In combination with design thinking, the IDEO framework utilizes diverse teams to innovate. Psychologists, marketers, anthropologists, engineers and designers are recruited for their unique perspectives. Through leveraging each other’s skills and unique way of framing solutions, they collaborate to solve design challenges across a range of industries. Fast forward to 2021 and you find that the top companies in this space serve Fortune 500 companies and deliver big impact solutions across a variety of industries.

The value of human centered design has been realized by the market. Increasingly more and more companies recognize the power of human centered design such as design thinking which follows a non-linear process of key steps embedded with bundles of activities. The steps include empathy, define, ideate, prototype, test and then, circle back. As companies adapt to the changing landscapes, the implications will increasingly require tools to facilitate team innovation. Organizations will want to use these methods themselves rather than outsourcing. Students who design with college teams using human centered design will have a unique career advantage. Universities that offer students platforms to design will be sought out by students and hiring organizations. Imagine the contributions that graduates with design thinking experience could make to society!

What if Tech could leverage the skills and perspectives of students across disciplines, increase their creative confidence, and enhance their resumes through an on campus design team group like IDEO?

As a Faculty Innovation Fellow, I have been charged with making a contribution to our campus based on an identified need. Through my work as program manager for Husky Innovate, Faculty Champion for University Innovation Fellows, and as an administrator for our Alley Makerspace student managers, I’ve identified such an opportunity for Tech and have begun prototyping it.

The prototype is programming called, “designTech.” When doing empathy work for this project, I realized: 1) There is student interest in designing and creating innovative solutions. 2) Fellows would benefit from a platform that immediately connects them to other Fellows and a community of stakeholders. 3) Makerspace students or makers want to be able to leverage maker skills to create innovative designs. 4) Lastly, students want social experiences and opportunities to meet and connect with students from other programs. designTech key stakeholders include the University Innovation Fellows (UIF) candidates and graduates, the Alley Makerspace Makers, Husky Innovate co-Directors, interns and students, the Pavlis Honors College, the IDEA hub team, the Applied Cognitive Science and Human Factors department, and the College of Business. Another audience is the larger campus community as a whole, as designTech would be a recruitment and retention piece for Tech. After interviewing key stakeholders, their feedback indicates that this programming would enrich the student experience.

Comments include: “Engineering provides us with problems to solve but not enough design challenges.” “There aren’t a lot of opportunities to meet students from other departments.” “As a new UIF, it was difficult to find students to interview.” “Including makers with a key role in the design team would be great.”

Each spring, designTech would recruit students from all departments at Tech. About 20-25 students would participate each year. During Fall and Spring semesters, a design challenge would be sent out to campus. This challenge could be technical, social, systems or entrepreneurial. Using a rubric, student teams select the challenge and invite the submitter to participate with the team. Student leadership would include UIF graduates and makerspace coaches. Each semester, the team would tackle one challenge using design thinking and prototyping resources from the makerspace. Key features of the program include: using human centered design methods, diverse student representation from across campus disciplines, inclusive culture, blending making with design thinking and a call for a campus challenge each fall and spring semester. designTech students will select the “winner” challenges using a rubric. The designTech students would become a thinktank type of group available to solve problems across a range, from technical, to social, systems, and entrepreneurial. This programming would be designed so that once each semester, students and the campus community have an opportunity to submit campus challenge.

Imagine what it would be like to identify a challenge, participate in the solution and have a team of innovators at your disposal. designTech has the potential to empower students as they add human centered design know-how and experience to their toolbox. It will embolden them to lead large scale and small scale solutions for the rest of their careers.