“It’s So Wonderful Having Different Majors Working Together”: the Development of an Interdisciplinary Design Thinking Minor

TechTrends ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 440-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason K. McDonald ◽  
Richard E. West ◽  
Peter J. Rich ◽  
Isaac Pfleger
Keyword(s):  
Design Thinking ◽  
Interdisciplinary Design ◽  
Working Together

scholarly journals FRILUX-ing

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Birgit Hvoslef Dahl ◽  
Andrea Gasparini
Keyword(s):  
User Experience ◽  
Interaction Design ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Harvard Business Review ◽  
Interactive System ◽  
User Research ◽  
Working Together ◽  
University Of Oslo

New practices and innovation are changing the culture at the University of Oslo Library. This has resulted in consistently using user experience/UX methods to put the user needs at the very center when new services are developed. The paper will outline why there is a need of a UX strategy at a leadership level in service and user centric organizations, like academic libraries, and show the value of UX as a competitive advantage. Our case  study is from a Norwegian University Library, which has evolved over a period of six year to now be at the forefront in Scandinavia when it comes to using UX into the academic library. Thanks to the support of he Norwegian National Library and the continued efforts of many “UX-librarians” at our library, we are now using design tools in different contexts to create user-friendly services. UX has evolved over time and  staff now uses it as an active part of different practices in the organization. In addition, the leadership has included the use of UX-methods in projects in their strategic plan for the library to ensure that the user perspective is taken in account in the services delivered by the library. In this paper we will also explain  why we do not have a UX group, and why we instead use a hub approach to gather different, but relevant,  staff for each project. Findings, like relevant activity in the organization or new services, will be presented. Furthermore, the paper will give a long term perspective on the use of UX, emphasizing the need  for constant evolvement (Gasparini & Culén, 2017), user research and ethnography (Gasparini, 2015a) in  order to enhance the user experience of the library (Gasparini, 2015b). Finally we wish to introduce Frilux (www.frilux.no). Frilux is a platform for sharing UX experience. We will outline how we have arrived at this new platform, why we wish to share it with other libraries, and why Frilux is a useful tool for libraries who want to:  • Apply UX and Design Thinking (Brown, 2008)for library development• Use UX methods when working together in the organization across subjects and system• Share their experiences with others• Meet like-minded ReferencesBrown, T. (2008). Design Thinking. Harvard Business Review, 86(6), 84–92.Gasparini, A. (2015a). A Holistic Approach to User Experience in the Context of an Academic Library Interactive System. In A. Marcus (Ed.), Design, User Experience, and Usability: Interactive Experience Design (pp. 173–184). Springer International Publishing. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-20889-3_17 Gasparini, A. (2015b). Perspective and Use of Empathy in Design Thinking (pp. 49–54). Presented at the ACHI 2015, The Eighth International Conference on Advances in Computer-Human Interactions. Retrieved from http://www.thinkmind.org/index.php?view=article&articleid=achi_2015_3_10_20121 Gasparini, A., & Culén, A. (2017). Temporality and Innovation in Digital Humanities: The Case of Papyri from Tebtunis. Interaction Design & Architectures(s) IxD&A, (34), 161–184

scholarly journals Encouraging healthier choices in supermarkets: a co-design approach

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Svetlana Bogomolova ◽  
Julia Carins ◽  
Timo Dietrich ◽  
Timofei Bogomolov ◽  
James Dollman
Keyword(s):  
Design Thinking ◽  
Empirical Work ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Survey ◽  
Key Stakeholders ◽  
Pipe Line ◽  
Working Together ◽  
New Strategies

Purpose This research describes and evaluates the co-creation of a programme called “A Healthy Choice”. Underpinned by design thinking (DT), this study aims to improve the healthfulness of food choices in supermarkets among consumers to promote their well-being. Design/methodology/approach The research features two studies. Study 1 included five co-design workshops with consumers and staff (n = 32) to develop a consumer-centred programme. The findings supported the design and implementation of a programme evaluated in Study 2 (an ecological trial). The programme modified a supermarket environment to increase the prominence of healthier products (shelf-talkers and no discount), ran positive food experiences (cooking and label reading workshops) and was supported by a community-wide information campaign in social and local print media. Findings A total of 15 new strategies were developed by consumers and staff to support health and well-being in supermarkets. Feasibility discussions and staff voting contributed to the development and storewide implementation of the programme. Evaluation showed that the programme was effective in increasing consumer knowledge of healthier food choices (measured via public survey). Sales analysis showed mixed results; sales increased for promoted products in some categories, but there was no effect in others. Research limitations/implications Given the real-world setting in which this programme and its evaluation were conducted, there were several innate limitations. The co-design process generated many more ideas than could be implemented, thus creating a healthy “pipe line” for the next iterations of the programme. Practical implications The key contribution of this work to supermarket intervention literature is the recommendation to change the paradigm of engagement between the key stakeholders who are typically involved in supermarket programs. Using the co-design and DT frameworks, the authors offer an example of stakeholders working together in close partnership to co-design and collaboratively implement a programme that promotes healthier choices. Originality/value This project contributes to the emerging body of empirical work using DT principles in the area of healthy food choices in supermarkets. A rigorously designed evaluation of a co-designed supermarket programme contributes to scholarly evidence on food well-being programs in supermarkets.

Levering Critical Collaboration

2017 ◽  
pp. 169-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Lara Crosby ◽  
Adam C. Morgan
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Group Work ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Peer Assessment ◽  
First Year ◽  
Collaborative Processes ◽  
Interdisciplinary Design ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
The University

This chapter presents an intervention in Design Thinking, a first year interdisciplinary design subject at the University of Technology Sydney. Over two iterations of this subject, researchers reframed the ‘group work' component as critical collaboration, drawing from the momentum in the design professions for more participatory and collaborative processes and the increasing acknowledgement of design as being critical to sustainable human futures. The online self and peer assessment tool SPARKPlus was used to change the way students approached collaboration and then reflected on it following their experiences. In this model, self and peer assessment is used as a leaver to encourage critical thinking about collaboration, rather than as a hammer to enforce participation.

Crafting Intellectual and Program Interconnectedness in the Classroom

2021 ◽  
pp. 152-169
Author(s):  
Carolyn Lawrence
Keyword(s):  
Technical College ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
College Classroom ◽  
Project Design ◽  
Interdisciplinary Instruction ◽  
Interdisciplinary Design ◽  
Student Interests ◽  
Interdisciplinary Projects ◽  
Instruction And Learning

This chapter explores the instructional observation of the utilization of interest-centric project design within an Introduction to Humanities course at a technical college in Georgia and how it can stand as a guide for productive interdisciplinary instruction and learning. The project came about through student expressed interests and assisted in the formulation of an interdisciplinary environment through discussion and experimentation. This chapter is a reflection on the information garnered by the author on how interdisciplinary, design thinking-centric projects can be successful within a college classroom if student interests are included in the production of projects and students are allowed a say in the development of the course instruction. This chapter merely stands as a testament that student inclusion and interdisciplinary projects can be successful if applied appropriately.

Exploration of Entrepreneurial Student Teams Performance and Student Team Members’ Personality via the Big Five Test

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
José E. Lugo ◽  
Mari Luz Zapata-Ramos ◽  
Carla P. Puig
Keyword(s):  
Big Five ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Idea Generation ◽  
Design Teams ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Interdisciplinary Design ◽  
Student Teams ◽  
Behavior Theories ◽  
Group Compositions ◽  
Start Ups

Entrepreneurial teams are generally interdisciplinary in nature; they tend to combine business, design, and engineering disciplines/expertise. The effectiveness of interdisciplinary design teams has become more important for both start-ups and companies that want to innovate; however, it is often troublesome to determine the group composition that delivers a good product/business idea. The purpose of this study is to investigate the traits in personalities that are needed in a successful entrepreneurial student design team. A study was conducted in which 40 students were divided into seven groups to deliver a technology-based product using design thinking techniques, and consumer behavior theories and research. The personality for each team member was evaluated utilizing the Big Five Test and analyzed jointly as a team, denoted as Team’s Overall Personality (TOP); and by the variability of their personalities in the group, referred as Team Personality Distribution (TPD). The teams’ performances were accounted, ranking them in Best of Best (BOB) and Worst of Worst (WOW) by taking into consideration their performance in: interview collection, idea generation, prototyping, and final presentation. The results demonstrated that the teams with best performance had high variability in Neuroticism and Extraversion when analyzed by TPD and average personality traits in Extraversion and Agreeableness when analyzed with TOP. Therefore, analysis supported that each member’s personality affects his or her team’s performance. It is recommended that the relationship is further investigated for a better representation of efficient group compositions. Recommendations on how to compose entrepreneurial design teams are provided.

Interdisciplinary Design Education Based on Collaboration Between Arts and Engineering Schools

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soo Yeon Leem ◽  
Sang Won Lee
Keyword(s):  
Design Education ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Interdisciplinary Teams ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Graduate Course ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Interdisciplinary Design ◽  
New Graduate ◽  
Engineering Schools

In this paper, the new graduate course, referred to as “Creation and Innovation”, for interdisciplinary design and innovation is introduced based on the collaboration between arts and engineering. In this course, students having various backgrounds in arts and engineering schools participates and forms several interdisciplinary teams for project-based learning. The systematic methods such as Design Thinking Process and Strategic Foresight and Innovation have been combinatorially adopted for this course. Those methods are human-centered approaches, which allow deep understanding on users’ needs and wants by being empathized with users and their environments. This empathy activity can enable the students to actively consider users’ various aspects, which has been of much significance in the current interdisciplinary design education. It is also shown that the collaboration among the team members with the backgrounds of arts and engineering can be effective to generate more creative and innovative ideas by combining their holistic and analytic views.

Flexible, User- and Product-Centered Framework for Developing Frugal Products Based on a Case Study of a Vehicle for Sub-Saharan Africa

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Šoltés ◽  
Daniel Kappler ◽  
Sascha Koberstaedt ◽  
Markus Lienkamp
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Vehicle Concept ◽  
The People ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Rural Exodus ◽  
Functional Prototype ◽  
The Individual

Through design thinking, a team of researchers and students from Nigeria, Ghana and Germany has identified rural transportation as a key enabler for addressing the most pressing challenges in the developing world. Since 2013, the team has been working together on designing a new vehicle concept for Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of the project is to provide the rural population in Sub-Saharan Africa with an attractive mobility concept that helps to prevent the rural exodus and strengthens the independence of the rural regions. A promising concept must consider the specific market requirements and the resources available locally in order to address the heart of the problem as a “First Mile Vehicle”. This paper aims to introduce a holistic framework for frugal innovation and to analyze the process of deriving the vehicle concept meeting regional requirements until it is ready for serial production. The focus, therefore, is demand-driven development of a multifunctional electric vehicle that primarily provides mobility for the individual and transport of people and goods as a possible commercial basis. The result of the research and design process is a vehicle concept that meets the needs of the people living in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. The first fully functional prototype of this vehicle was presented to the public at the Technical University of Munich in May 2016.

scholarly journals Insights from a Latent Semantic Analysis of Patterns in Design Expertise: Implications for Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 208
Author(s):  
Hernan Casakin ◽  
Vishal Singh
Keyword(s):  
Latent Semantic Analysis ◽  
Design Education ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Semantic Analysis ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Levels Of Detail ◽  
Interdisciplinary Design ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
Design Expertise ◽  
Different Levels

Design and design thinking are increasingly being taught across several disciplines—ranging from arts, architecture, and technology and engineering to business schools—where expertise plays a central role. A substantial corpus of literature on research in regard to design expert and design expertise has accumulated in the last decades. However, in spite of its importance for design and design education, the topic has remained largely unframed. A major goal of this study was to carry out an assessment of literature through leading interdisciplinary design journals in order to identify main topics and categorize them into thematic patterns concerned with expertise in design. A structured assessment approach based on Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) was used over 861 abstracts. The emerging thematic patterns associated with design expertise allowed a categorization at different levels of detail, which included 80, 50, 20, and 12 factors analyses, respectively. The major contribution of the study was to offer a structured assessment of key design literature that enabled to gain a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of the thematic patterns in the discussion on design expertise. Implications of the identified key factors for design education are discussed.

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