Life Prototypes
Small scale experiments and life interviews that give you a sneak preview of your future
Introduction > Wayfinding > Ideate > Odyssey Plans > Life Prototypes > Re-Design
“We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious… and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
— Walt Disney, American entrepreneur, animator, writer, voice actor, and film producer
Prior to jumping into empathy, we first need to understand the design challenge, identify the people involved, consider the context of the problem, and establish success factors.
Note: Design Thinking activities can be conducted live and in person with sticky notes and whiteboard, or virtually online utilizing collaborative tools such as Zoom and Miro with virtual sticky notes and whiteboard.
As you plan, remember to focus on the problem, not solutions!
1. Establishing the Design Challenge, How might we…?
A More Beautiful Question
The Design Thinking process begins with identifying a problem, a design challenge. The challenge is typically stated in the form of a “How might we…” question. Consider the following scenario.
Tight on cash and unable to make rent payments, roommates Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia observed that demand for temporary lodging exceeded supply when large conferences and events came to town. They asked, "How might we help travelers find a reasonably priced place to stay while providing residents with extra space an opportunity to earn some cash?" Thus Airbnb was born.
Every great invention begins with a crucial observation and a beautiful question.
“A beautiful question is an ambitious yet actionable question that can begin to shift the way we perceive or think about something—and that might serve as a catalyst to bring about change.”
-Warren Berger, "A More Beautiful Question"
Check out Warren’s videos provided.
Consider questions around the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.
How Might We?
In Design Thinking, we format beautiful questions beginning with "How might we...." (HMW), which opens the door to a wide variety of solutions.
"How might we" (HMW) statements should be formatted as follows:
Observation:
Given that _________________________________ (state problem that exists),
Question:
how might we help ___________________________ (ex: person or group experiencing the problem)
achieve ____________________________ (specific short term goal)
so that they might _____________________________(general long term goal).
A good HMW Statement will be broad enough to allow for creative solutions (don't pigeonhole), yet not so broad that it is unachievable.
Example:
Given that FSU has a reputation as a party school,
how might we embolden students who don't drink or smoke,
to find fun activities with like-minded students,
so that they can develop social connections that support their healthy lifestyle and academic success.
Questions are the new answers, Warren Berger
Once teams have been established, meet your new team mates and discuss each person’s connection with your HMW in terms of interest and experience. Now is the time to finalize your HMW to everyone’s satisfaction.
2. STAKEHOLDER MAP
Click to enlarge.
Before the Design Thinking process begins, it is important to consider those impacted by the design challenge - the stakeholders. Who is directly impacted, and who is impacted by association with those directly impacted?
Create a large Stakeholder Map to identify stakeholders impacted by the Design Challenge - those most impacted at the center of the target. All group members should work independently to add sticky notes with stakeholder names written on them to the target diagram. When finished, work together to discuss your sticky notes, position them appropriately, and remove duplicates. The value of this exercise is in the discussion it generates. Write key questions, discussion points, and insights that arise on sticky notes and post on the side of or below the target diagram.
Capture your work as a photo or screen capture for future reference.
3. CONTEXT MAP
After considering stakeholders, it is important to consider the context in which the Design Challenge exists - the trends and environmental factors that impact the challenge.
Utilizing a Context Map, place your Design Challenge title at the center. Work independently to consider trends and environmental factors that impact your Design Challenge. Write one per sticky note and place in the related area of the Context Map. When finished, work together to discuss your sticky notes, position each sticky note appropriately, and remove duplicates. Again, the value of this exercise is in the discussion it generates. Write key questions, discussion points, and insights that arise on sticky notes and post on the side of or below the target diagram.
Capture your work as a photo or screen capture for later reference.
Click to enlarge
4. MIND MAP for SUCCESS FACTORS
Knowing how the team defines success is critical to moving a project in the right direction. In this step, you will create a Mindmap (see figure) to identify key indicators of success.
Begin your Mindmap by placing your Design Challenge Title in a circle at the center of the real or virtual whiteboard. Some virtual whiteboards provide mindmapping tools that you may explore. Team members should brainstorm independently, writing key success indicators (trends or factors) on sticky notes or mindmap nodes. Consider:
What results are you seeking?
How do you measure results?
How are stakeholders impacted?
Connect the most important key success indicators to the central node with lines. Next consider related features of each key success factor (see example) and connect with lines. Repeat as needed to increasingly detailed success factors. Consider connections between the branches and indicate them with lines.
Capture your work as a photo or screen capture for future reference.
Click image to enlarge
5. Working in Teams
Design Thinking is done in teams. It’s impossible to do Design Thinking by yourself. The more diverse the team members the better chance you have of developing a solution that will be embraced by a diverse society.
Now that you’ve had a chance to work together and get to know each other, consider each team member’s unique strengths and weaknesses, assign the following roles to each team member. There may be multiple team member’s in a role, but each role must be assigned to at least one person, and every team member should have at least one role.
Facilitator/Motivator - keeps the team on task
Scribe/Bookkeeper - Maintains the team documents (photos and shared document)
Technician/Webmaster - Manages technical aspects of the Design Thinking process
Media/Creative - Manages any graphics and video needs
Presenter - shares group work with the class
Decide how you wish to communicate outside of class, and share your contact information.
Share your work from this Lesson through electronic means (shared google doc, website, Miro Board) with your group and instructor. Your work so far includes:
Your HMW
Each team members connection with your HMW in terms of interest and experience
Photo of your Stakeholder Map
Photo of your Context Map
Photo of your Mind Map
Each team member’s assigned responsibilities