Lessons from Stanford d.school Design Thinking Bootcamp Day 3

The last day of this design thinking extravaganza was all about storytelling and bringing these skills back to our organizations and communities. It was fun, and it was sad to end the process.

The whole thing ended with a major surprise. We were told at the end that 300 undergrads had signed up for a crash course on design thinking and had just arrived at the building. Guess who would be teaching them? Yep, it was us (newly minted design thinkers). At first, I was scared and worried that I wasn't ready to do this or provide a good experience for the undergrads. But in the spirit of "Don't get ready, get started," I just jumped into it and had a blast. The d.school has awesome facilitation guides and materials, and my teaching partner and I just went into it and did our best. The time constraints forced us to just get moving without worrying or thinking, and this worked to our advantage. I found that I learned a lot more about design thinking through teaching it and showing the concepts to others. Now I'm inspired to do this again for other groups (and learning more myself from the process and from others).

Below are the rest of my notes and takeaways.

Storytelling
i.      User -> character [use details to show this]
ii.      (user)Need + insight -> (character)tension, details of props, words
iii.      (user)solution -> (character)change
iv.      Use skits for storytelling (show > tell)

1.       Record video, put into PPT
v.      Lo-tech better
vi.      Keep each step of process alive

1.       Human centered, not tech centered

Group 360 feedback
i.      I like, I wish for each name (names down the left, IL/IW on top as columns)
ii.      Each person puts post-its for all including self
iii.      360 degree feedback for each team member

dd.  Another group feedback format
i.      Names down side, top: start, stop, continue (behaviors)

Reasons and Intentions
ii.      “All reasons are bullshit”
1.       Bottom line, effect matters
2.       All behaviors/reasons are just justifications for self-image
3.       You can always choose a different reason
4.       “That’s a good reason” (sarcastic)
5.       Don’t say to someone else their reasons are bullshit
a.       Just say to self
6.       Change self, not world
7.       Example: traffic as reason for being late
a.       Just give self more time
8.       Reasons just convenient excuses
9.       Reasons just excuse for own stuff

iii.      Intention
1.       Need it to do something
2.       Don’t try, just do
3.       Hokkaido exercise of intention of moving vs. not moving arm
4.       Design doing, not thinking
5.       Doing easier than trying

Bringing back to organization
i.      Self -> team -> org
ii.      Ax4: activities, artifacts, actors, atmosphere
iii.      Activities: bucket time in a meeting for ideation, selection, empathy
iv.      Actors: people at meeting, sometimes shake it up
v.      Atmosphere: change room
vi.      Artifacts: post-its, sharpies, bring list of related products, camera, do creative exercise at beginning

vii.      Steps
1.       Identify goal
2.       Discuss specific meeting
3.       Discuss how usually done
4.       Discuss how to do differently
viii.      Bring in consumers to meeting
ix.      Bring in crazy designers to shake it up
x.      Don’t expect the first step to bring result – just to start momentum
xi.      First thing: gift giving
xii.      Empathy = understanding, not sympathy

DT for sales cycle
1.       Metrics drive vs. human customers
2.       The person who shows up w/ the prototype wins
3.       Change a meeting with toys
4.       Plus activity, warm-up to take into different space
a.       Stoking

Teaching DT to undergrads
i.      Facilitator guide
ii.      1 hour exercise
iii.      Prototyping materials
iv.      Just do, time constraint, partner
v.      Don’t give enough time to think, just do

vi.      3 Learning modes
1.       Some things you only learn by doing; some by teaching; some by traditional learning

vii.      Leaders manage time and prescribe time constraints
viii.      Keep shortening the time allowed
ix.      Time box (agile)
x.      Keep yourself on edge
xi.      Adapt, cultural translation of script, make it your own

i.      Book Make Space explains cheap DIY office design

ii.      Steelcase brand

Final thoughts

a.       How to apply DT to my relationships?
b.      How to apply DT to my own self-development?