EDSGN 367Design Thinking and Making

3 credits · Engineering Design · Penn State

Creating innovative products and services that matter for society and users, i.e. designing for impactful results, involves a complex process of thinking and making-both thinking and making strengthen each other-that uses a plethora of design methods, some of which are elaborated in conversation with the context in which they operate. Successful design practitioners channel their ability to read cultural contexts, empathize with users, and design and communicate compelling solutions to complex problems. They seek to offer solutions that are human-centered; foster deep and positive cultural change; and strive to achieve sustainable goals that consider society, culture, the economy, and the environment. Students enrolled in this class will be tasked with finding, in a team, a solution to a complex problem. They will develop a thorough understanding of the design process through collaboratively thinking (user-researching, framing, analyzing, formulating) and making (preparing fieldwork, prototyping, role-playing, user-testing). Students who take the course will be prepared to conduct qualitative research, design creatively for a variety of contexts and users, and demonstrate the pertinence of their solution to a wide audience.