Design Thinking Principles

with No Comments

The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design

Organization:  IDEO

Type of Resource:  Guide/Manual

Description:  A step-by-step guide to solving problems in the social sector using design thinking. Focuses on vulnerable populations and high-need settings, and describes activities such as building listening skills, running workshops, and implementing ideas.  This resource is free, however, you must sign up to download the file.

Link:  http://www.designkit.org/resources/1

Design Kit Methods

Organization:  IDEO

Type of Resource:  Website

Description:  Online repository of human-centered design methods, organized by phase of design thinking (e.g., Inspiration, Ideation) and common questions, such as “How do I start? What tools can I use to understand people?”

Link:  www.designkit.org/methods

Design Thinking for Educators Toolkit

Organization:  IDEO

Type of Resource:  Toolkit

Description:  This toolkit provides you with instructions to explore design thinking with the aim of designing meaningful solutions in the classroom, at your school, and in your community. It offers activities specific to K-12 educators and includes a blank workbook.  This resource is free, however, you must sign up to download the file.

Link:  http://www.designthinkingforeducators.com/

Methods from the d.school

Organization:  d.school at Stanford

Type of Resource:  Website

Description:  Overview of methods for people new to design thinking that are most useful when running through the first few design cycles (e.g., “Facilitate a Brainstorm”).

Link:  http://dschool.stanford.edu/use-our-methods/

d.school Bootcamp Bootleg Toolkit

Organization:  d.school at Stanford

Type of Resource:  Manual

Description:  An active toolkit that outlines each mode of the d.school’s human-centered design process, and then provides an overview of their most popular tools and methods.

Link:  http://dschool.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/BootcampBootleg2010v2SLIM.pdf

Virtual Crash Course in Design Thinking

Organization:  d.school at Stanford

Type of Resource:  Online course/training

Description:  90-minute online course broken into three sections.

Link:  http://dschool.stanford.edu/dgift/

Collective Action Toolkit

Organization:  Frog Design

Type of Resource:  Manual/Guide

Description:  This toolkit includes a set of activities and methods to enable groups of people anywhere to organize, collaborate, and create solutions for problems impacting their community.  This resource is free, however, you must sign up to download the file.

Link: http://www.frogdesign.com/work/frog-collective-action-toolkit.html

The Question Ladder

Organization:  Development Impact and You

Type of Resource:  Online Tool

Description:  Quick and easy way to start asking your questions in different ways and from different perspectives, and to start combining questions in order to reach more complex answers for social issues.

Link: http://diytoolkit.org/tools/question-ladder/