Design Thinking Workshop

Directions: Team up with another student. Each of you will design an object for
the other. For this scenario, you will be designing a storage piece for your
“client’s” bedroom. When you are the client, consider what improvements in
storage are needed in your bedroom. Make the scenario as ‘real’ as possible so
you can give accurate information and feedback to your designer.

As you get ready, remember the steps in the Design Thinking process:
EMPATHIZE, DEFINE, IDEATE, PROTOTYPE, TEST
EMPATHIZE: Write down a series of questions to help you uncover the storage
problems in your client’s space. 10 minutes will be allowed for each ‘Designer’ to
interview their ‘client’.

FI51 Interior Design I Summer 2018

 Design Thinking Workshop Continued

DEFINE: What information do you have and what additional questions are
forming in your mind? Each person will take another 10 minutes to ask clarifying
questions to help narrow the problem before ideating.

IDEATE: Begin problem solving by sketching your ideas in the boxes. There are no
“right” solutions yet! Take 15 minutes

Design Thinking Workshop Continued

FI51 Interior Design I Summer 2018

Now, go back to your client to get feedback on the ideas you created. What
works, what doesn’t. How can you synthesize your ideas and your client’s
feedback to generate better solutions? Take 10 minutes.

PROTOTYPE: It’s time to start creating several prototype artifacts to demonstrate

your solutions. They can be sketches, folded paper, cardboard models…you
decide. They don’t need to be works of art. Rather they need to convey your
concepts for the solution you created. Remember the feedback you got and get
going! You have 20 minutes.

Design Thinking Workshop Continued

FI51 Interior Design I Summer 2018

Test: Time to get feedback from your client. Did one of your prototypes hit the
“nail on the head?” If not, you need to find out why your solutions demonstrated
through your prototypes missed and try again. You will need to ITERATE or
change and come up with a few more prototypes. It doesn’t mean you failed, you
just need to gather more detailed feedback to inform your process. Take 10
minutes for this.

Congratulations! You just completed a Design Thinking Workshop!

Write a paragraph reflecting on this process. Can you see how Design Thinking
informs designers who are creating solutions for clients?

FI51 Interior Design I Summer 2018