Design Thinking Applied
1st Half
If you have been following the DILo project team competition (read more here), you would know that on a weekly basis, each team is required to consult with their set of coaches from Huckabee Architect and Associates. From the meet and greet, the conversation took a deep turn into design thinking and the functionality that ensues. Each teams had the chance to see previous designs crafted by their coaches that included the brainstorming sessions, initial drafts, mock ups, images... the whole nine. So, we thought it would be a good idea to take our DILo project teams to see all that design thinking applied; a trip to see a culminating structure of the Alvarado Junior High project. We also heard they had a killer library model that I actually wanted to see myself. The idea was to expose the students to what can come to fruition as a result of great collaboration opportunities like what they are participating in currently. Seeing something that started out as a sketch on a piece of paper come to life was a priceless experience for all teams. They toured the building together led by our host administration team at Alvarado Junior High. Project teams were able to ask specific questions which boiled down to the WHY for every decision made from the furniture, the tiles on the wall, the flooring and especially the technology used. The tour ended with a moment to talk to the actually Project Manager from Huckabee who was in charge of the design implementation. It was exciting to hear the questions the teams had. It was cool to see the teams huddle after each response as they were able to apply what they learned to their own design thinking. Here are some shots from the visit to Alvarado Junior High.
Part 2
FABNOW16 Conference was another attempt to provide some real-world exposure for our DILo project teams. This time, we wanted to bring light to the why behind Makers and Maker Spaces. When we arrived, we had a chance to connect with Derek Seaburn of Artisum Asylum
He explained the passion he has for making and how that fervor created the maker movement as a cultural expectation in Somerville, Massachusetts. Derek went on to explain how important it is that maker spaces are differentiated to accommodate a variety of makers. Also, that when designing a Maker Space, keep your audience in the forefront of your decision making process.
After listening to Derek, The DILo projects teams received their own special presentation that talked about how having a passion for making can lead to professions that allow you to simply play with toys for a living. The teams were exposed to the power of Arduino kits and some pretty amazing projects creating from simple coding and a creative imagination. They saw infinity mirrors, guitars that lit up in patterns once strummed, along with Wii controls that determine the pitch of a musical instrument. Thoroughly fascinated, the conversation that evening may keep Home Depot and the local hobby store in business for a long time.
