INNOVATION LEADERS FORDESIGN THINKING

Hosted atHenry Ford Academy: School for Creative StudiesDetroit, MI

July 20-21, 2017

Understanding design thinking and using it as a process

for teaching innovation and creativity

“DESIGN IS A FORM OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE. PEOPLE TEND TO THINK OF DESIGN AS GOOD ART, GOOD VISUAL LANGUAGE, WHICH IT ABSOLUTELY HAS TO BE. BUT IT’S ALSO ABOUT THE ABILITY TO DO SYSTEMS THINKING.”

Jim Hackett, CEO, Ford Motor Company

THE DESIGN THINKING PROCESS

IDEO, one organization responsible for the growing popularity of “Design Thinking,” describes it as a “human-centered approach to problem solving that helps people and organizations become more innovative and creative.”

OVERVIEWOF GOALS

Henry Ford Learning Institute’s Innovation Leaders workshop was created to examine the role of Design Thinking in education by bringing together educators from around the world to ask questions, brainstorm solutions, and share resources.

The 2-day workshop provided a targeted introduction to or solid reinforcement of Design Thinking for educational leaders through new tools and strategies shared within an emerging community of practice. Participants developed an awareness of ways to address complex organizational challenges using a Design Thinking approach with systems thinking and change leadership incorporated. Participants also worked to understand an effective and increasingly embedded use of Design Thinking as a teaching, learning, and leading strategy in schools.

In summary, participants:

Increased their personal toolkit of strategies, tools, and materials for using Design Thinking in their individual and professional context(s).

Deepened their confidence and range with Design Thinking as a tool for leading, collaboration, and growth.

Departed with a plan of action to address a current organizational issue.

Initiated new connections as support for ongoing learning and collaboration.

Enriched their Design Thinking applications with systems thinking and change leadership competencies.

OVERVIEWOF AGENDA

DAY 1

8:30

9:00

11:00

12:20

1:15

2:45

3:45

DAY 2

8:50

10:05

11:30

12:15

1:15

1:45

Welcome and Warm-up

Developing an Understanding of Design Thinking Framing the ProblemParticipants create mind maps of commonly shared organizational problems.

Lunch

Framing the Problem Pt. IIParticipants discuss the implications of school culture on their ability to effect change.

Culture as a Primary Concern

Reflect and Close

Pushing for More Creative Possible Solutions

Prototype a Possilbe Solution

Deepen a Possible Solution(Service Blueprints)

Lunch

Build Out Next StepsParticipants will collaborate to develop a plan of action for validating the initial assumptions of their prototype. Reflect and Close

NEXT STEPS

HFLI recommends the following as possible next steps for participants:

Leverage the initial experience to build a strong professional learning community through social media channels, regular meetings, and the support of coaches.

Share challenges, resources, and successes. -Ask and answer questions. -Develop collaborative projects. -Provide safe “space” for novices and master teachers alike to be learners. -Adapt or develop lessons, units and/or projects to include Design Thinking strategies, skills’ development, tools, materials, and processes.

Continue the process of development and implementation for the prototype solutions created. -Gather feedback on solutions from potential users and key stakeholders. -Conduct pilot implementation and gather data on impact and outcomes. -Incorporate feedback into a second iteration or decisions on next steps.

Facilitate an organization-wide professional development session for other educators on Design Thinking.

Co-facilitate a Design Thinking-centered lesson or project with a colleague.

Plan and facilitate a professional meeting using Design Thinking tools and strategies.

Host a Rapid Cycle Design Thinking Challenge for members of your greater learning community – school board members, business partners, community organization liaisons, parents, non-instructional staff, alumni and the like.

Convene a small group of students to prototype an extended Design Thinking challenge as a possible major project, after-school club engagement or independent study opportunity.

SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES

Case Study: IDEO Shopping Cart video, an example of a professional design firm engaging in Design Thinking to develop an innovative update on a common product.

Expert Source: Creative Intelligence: Harnessing the Power to Create, Connect, and Inspire, Bruce Nussbaum provides a critical lens to learning the Design Thinking process and walks readers through looking at the internal strengths that make them creatively intelligent.

Aligned Reading: Thinking in Systems, by Donella Meadows walks readers through how to think in systems and practice making models.

Aligned Reading: World Class Learners by Yong Zhao explains how students need to function as resourceful, flexible, and creative entrepreneurs to succeed in the global economy.

Implementation tool: Rapid Cycle Design Challenge Facilitator’s Guide, co-developed with Stanford’s d.school, which provides a detailed set of guidelines for facilitating a 90 minute Design Thinking exercise.

HFLI’s customized learningengagements use DesignThinking and other creativethinking tools and methods tosupport individuals and teams intheir professional growth.

1, 2 and 3-day workshopsintroduce and develop DesignThinking skills and strategiesthrough real-world challenges– participants leave with toolsand an action plan to begin usingtheir emerging competenciesimmediately.

Targeted 2 or 4-hour challengesessions address an identifiedopportunity through a sequenceof engaging activities –participants leave with a definedset of next steps and plannedtimeline for accomplishing thedesired change and identifiedgoals.

Customized coaching buildson emerging Design Thinkingskills and mindsets withinterventions that are “justin time,” “just enough,” and“just for me” – participantsengage in work-embeddedprofessional development thatpromotes continuous growth andimmediate application/benefit.

Learning is at the center ofeverything we do, and weprovide a quality experience atevery step. At the end of theday, our greatest achievementis measured by the successof our participants, partnersand colleagues to solveproblems creatively, innovatecollaboratively and improve ourworld through their unique andindividual efforts.

Redesigning how we learn.

HFLI’s hands-on Design Thinking workshops engage participants in a structured process to address organizational or community-centered challenges. Our immersion learning experiences help develop skills and mindsets for creative problem solving and collaborative innovation. In the 21st century, creativity and innovation can and should be an integral part of everyone’s professional experience – the growingvcomplexity of our world and workplace requires it.