The design thinking stages​​​​

1. UNDERSTAND

​​​​​​​The first stage of the Level III design thinking process is when the student-designers learn about the design topic that they are working on, and the needs of the people for whom they are designing. At the end of this stage, they will understand enough about the design topic to continue on to the next stage, and they will know what is important to the users of the thing that they are designing.

• Introduce the UNDERSTAND stage.
  • Students may work individually or in groups. (Students may come together to work in groups during this stage, even if it is not a group project.)
  • Explain that this is the first stage of the design thinking process.
  • Remind them of the design topic.
• Explain the Mind Map (III) method.
  • This mind map is used to note down the students’ understanding of the design topic, which is the subject of the mind map. This will help the students understand the scope of the project, and it will also show them where they lack understanding.
  • Ask questions about the topic to spur their thinking and to help draw the map: “What is a (topic)?” “What is it for?” “Who uses a (topic); or, where do you find a (topic)?” “Why do they use a (topic)?” “What are the different parts of a (topic)?” “How to find answers to these questions?” “Where to look?” “Whom to ask?”
  • Each student or group draws their mind map on a large sheet of paper.
• The students should note down any questions about the design topic that require answers on the Questions & Answers (III) page.
  • The questions are things that they should find answers to as they continue designing. The page has spaces to note down the answers as they find them.
  • The students add more questions to the page, as they come up.
• As the teacher, you should indicate which resources on the topic will be available for the students to use: it may be encyclopaedias; links to web resources on the topic; links to videos on the internet; or handouts that you have prepared, such as an illustrated text summary of the topic. Distribute the Desk Research (III) handout and discuss.
  • The student-designers search for answers to the questions noted on the mind map.
  • They may do an image search on the topic, where necessary.
• Encourage the students to keep records of the UNDERSTAND stage as notes and documents stored in a physical folder, a folder on their computer, or in a notes app, such as Microsoft OneNote or Apple Notes.
• Explain the Interview Experts and Users (III) handout.
  • Learning from the experts and users of the (topic) is an important part of design thinking.
  • The student-designers interview experts or users to learn from their knowledge and experience of the (topic).
• Each student or group discusses what they have found on the topic by explaining their mind map to the class, their questions, and the answers that they found.
  • Discuss their mind maps and ask questions.
• Once the students have discussed their UNDERSTAND stage, summarise the results with the whole class.
  • Ask: “What are important things to remember when designing a (topic)?”
  • You may write these points on the board.
  • Point out to the students how much they have learnt about the topic; that the topic is fascinating and profound; and the benefit of working together in this stage.

2. DECIDE

​​​​​​​Having gained an understanding of the design topic, in the second stage of the design thinking process for Level III, the student-designers DECIDE what is a must, what is a maybe, and what is a must not for the topic. (For example: imagine that they are designing a dining room chair. They may decide that the chair must have legs, a seat, and a seat back; it may have armrests; but must not have wheels.) At the end of this stage, the student designers will have a good idea of the thing that they are designing.

• Discuss the Design Principles (III) handout.
  • These practical design principles are important ideas to guide designers to make the right choices when designing.
  • Discuss the questions from the handout.
• Explain the Problem Page (III) form.
  • The problem page is a form that the student-designers complete by answering a series of questions to decide what is important to their design thinking project. The problem page will help the students think about what they learnt in the UNDERSTAND stage, and it will guide them in the next stage.
  • Each student or group discusses the problem page with their teacher.

​​​​​​​3. CREATE

The CREATE stage is an immensely creative time for the student designers to come up with a great many ideas for their topic, finding answers to the challenges written down on the problem page. The students use creative methods to think of many ideas which they jot down or draw on paper; they discuss their ideas with each other; and they evolve and improve their design ideas. At the end of this stage, the young designers will have combined their best ideas into one strong design idea, and they will have a plan for the thing that they intend to build in the next stage.

• The students work in groups seated around tables.
  • Let them create together, regardless of whether they are working on a group or individual project.
• Remind them to keep at hand the design topic handout; and the problem page, which they completed in the DECIDE stage.
• Optional: explain the Ways to Get Creative (III) tips.
  • Discuss the tips on how creativity can be stimulated.
• Explain the Idea Storm (III) method.
  • Idea storm is a way for the young designers to come up with many ideas together. It is the same as brainstorming.
  • Monitor the idea storming in progress; gently point out any obvious problems; encourage them to continue; or prompt them to think about a detail of the (topic) that they might be overlooking.
• Once the students-designers have completed the idea storm method, get them to explain their best ideas.
• Explain the Idea Sketchathon (III) method.
  • Idea sketchathon is like brainstorming with sketches.
• Optional: explain the Idea Grid (III) method.
  • Use this method if it applies to the design topic.
  • Idea grid is a way to split a big and complicated problem into a few smaller and simpler problems.
• Once the student-designers have used a few of the creative methods above, get them to select their three best ideas, and show them to the class.
  • Optional: congratulate the group or individual who had the most ideas based on the number of drawings that they did during this stage.
• Explain the If I Were You (III) method.
  • If I were you is a way for the student-designers to maturely discuss their design ideas with their classmates, and to learn from each other.
  • Use this method in the CREATE stage for students to discuss each other’s ideas.
• Optional: explain the Dot Voting (III) method if the students are working in groups.
  • Dot voting is a way for groups to select their favourite ideas.
• Allow the students the time to re-work their ideas by drawing.
  • Encourage the students to combine their best design ideas. (Note that some ideas will be incompatible and cannot be combined.)
  • They should work towards one final idea.
  • Motivate them to work on problems or shortcomings to their ideas without getting discouraged.
• At the end of the CREATE stage, the student-designers should have narrowed their ideas to one final design idea for their (topic).
  • Ask them to estimate the overall sizes of their (topic) and to add dimensions to a drawing of their final idea.
  • A clear drawing of their design idea with dimensions will be useful for the next stage.

4. BUILD

The BUILD stage is when the student-designers actually construct a model of the thing that they are designing. This trial-and-error stage is creative, just like the CREATE stage. Building something in a physical form will be challenging for most students of this age group. Some design topics are complicated to build and will need to be closely watched by the teacher. The teacher should ensure that the required materials and equipment are at hand, and they should supervise the students to ensure that the BUILD stage is done safely. At the end of this stage, the young designers will have constructed a model of their (topic) and will be ready to test it. Refer to the guide for teachers, Safety for the BUILD Stage for Level III.

Note: A ‘model’ is a physical thing that designers make to show their design idea. Designers don’t build the actual thing that is meant for the user, that is the job of manufacturing. Designing happens before manufacturing. Designers will design a car, and then a factory will manufacture the car. The same is true for most designed products: for example, an architect designs a house to be constructed by the builders. So, designers build accurate models to show their design idea to other people, such as the engineers responsible for manufacturing, who work out how to manufacture it.

• The student-designers will now BUILD their ideas as full-size, physical, three-dimensional models.
  • Each student or group must build one final model of their (topic). Sometimes they may build different versions to discover which is better.
  • The students may modify or improve their design ideas as they build them, it’s a normal part of designing. Indeed, this stage is for improving the design idea.
• Note: If a full-size, physical, three-dimensional model cannot be built, then do the following:
  • Build a small-scale physical model of your design idea;
  • or make careful final drawings to show your design idea;
  • or make a computer model or drawing of your design idea.
• Ensure that the students know what they are building.
  • Those working in groups will have agreed to build the design idea that they voted for in Dot Voting (III).
  • If they cannot agree, they will need to discuss it and make up their minds. The teacher may help them decide if necessary.
  • Check each student and group: does their plan make sense? Is their plan practical, or not?
• Distribute materials for building the (topic). Ensure that the tools and equipment required are at hand.
• Wherever possible, the young designers should build full-size, working models of their (topic). A full-size model is better to show and understand the designed thing.
  • If a model cannot be made because it is too difficult or there are no materials, the students may make an explanatory drawing with dimensions instead of a model.
  • Models, especially large things as big as a chair or refrigerator, may be built full-size out of light-weight substitute materials, if need be.
  • Sometimes designers will build a non-working model which simply shows the basic dimensions and arrangement of parts.
  • Huge, architectural-sized things are normally shown by building small-scale models.
• Monitor the progress of the students during this stage.
  • Is their building going well and on course?
  • Point out any problems or details of their (topic) that they might have overlooked.

5. TEST

The TEST stage is where the student-designers check how well their design idea works, normally by having users test the design model and give their feedback. It is important for the students to hear the opinions of the people for whom they are designing. The end of the TEST stage is also the end of the design project. The students will have tested their design idea, and will understand how much their design idea has succeeded, or not.

• Explain the Test Questions (III) method.
  • The students explain their design idea to their users, and get them to test the design model.
  • The form has questions about function, size, and materials, and so forth.
  • The students ask the questions from the form, and note down the user’s responses.
• The students discuss the results of the test stage with their teacher and classmates.
• Explain to the students that testing is important:
  • “Do you know that NASA tested many rockets before they could safely go to the moon? Many NASA rockets failed or exploded on the launch pad or in the air. But, those failed tests taught NASA how to build a safe rocket to carry astronauts on a dangerous journey all the way to the moon and back. So remember, a failed test is a necessary step on the route to success.”
     

Show
​​​​​​​The student-designers then show their finished design model or final drawing to an audience of teachers and classmates. The show is part of the TEST stage as the young designers will get the opinions of more people. Having parents/guardians attend the show will be a bonus. Each student or group may also display the rest of the work that they did, that is their notes, sketches, and models, for everyone to see the effort that they put into the design project.

• Each student or group shows their design idea in turn. They must explain:
  • Purpose: Who is it for? Where is it used? How is it useful?
  • Function: What does it do? How does it work? What features does it have?
  • Size and materials: What is it made of? What tools or techniques were used?
• Have a select group of members of the audience give their feedback using the I Like, I Wish, I Wonder (III) method.
  • Each member writes their feedback on sticky notes and places them on a whiteboard under columns labelled: I like, I wish, and I wonder.
• Once the students have completed their presentation, invite questions from the audience. The audience plays an important part.
  • They should be considerate when giving their opinions, as harshly critical and excessively negative comments can humiliate and upset the students, and negatively affect their confidence in the future.
  • Balance a negative opinion with a positive one.
  • Nor should the audience praise student work when it is not warranted.
  • Ideally, the audience should be interested and respectful, honest and kind.
• Encourage applause from the audience after each student or group has presented.

POST

Congratulations! You have completed a design project in class. Refer to the Assessing and Marking Level III guide for teachers if you must mark the student design work. Now that you have all the student design work in one place, record it. Scan their design process and drawings, photograph their models under good lighting conditions and with a good background. Take some photographs of the students together with their work, and publicise the results of the project if you believe that the work merits it. You may store student design work and models if possible, and display some of the projects at the school to inspire other students. You are welcome to share your student work with us at the Design Thinking for Schools website, we will be delighted to hear from you.