We will discuss the cognitive underpinnings of creativity, common barriers to creative insight and techniques for improving individual and team creative outcomes. The concepts and techniques from this class will help you with product concept ideation for Assignments 3 and 8.  The discussion of effective design critiques will help you get the most out...

With your team, you will use the affinity diagramming technique to organize the data you have gathered through your contextual inquiry.  This activity is part of Assignment 2.  The affinity diagramming technique will be relevant again for Assignment 7. Attendance at this class is mandatory. Required readings (post your written response before class): Ch 7:...

We will do an in-class design exercise covering all of the major components of the design process: needfinding, product concept development, rapid prototyping and customer feedback.  You will work in pairs (you should pair up with somebody who is very different from you; don’t pair up with a close friend). Come for the whole class...

A brief overview of Design Thinking followed by an introduction to one of the most fundamental design skills: needfinding, or the ability to discover valuable problems. This lecture is relevant to Assignment 1 and it covers key techniques for Assignments 2 and 7. Required readings: none Optional readings: Design Thinking by Tim Brown Ch 3: Principles...