Design Thinking 101

Kareem Collie is an accomplished designer and educator with a rich background in both the corporate and academic worlds. Leading design teams for organizations like Nickelodeon, Coca-Cola, and USA Network, he has driven transformation and engagement through his expertise in visual and user-experience design. As Design Lead at IBM, he was instrumental in innovating user experiences. Currently, as the Design Director and Manager for NASA JPL's DesignLab, he applies design thinking to communicating and educating about space exploration, bringing a unique intersection of design, science, and technology to the forefront. His thought leadership includes co-editing "The Black Experience in Design" and serving on the AIGA’s national educators steering committee. Today, we talk about how curiosity fuels design thinking, communication, and leadership. Listen to learn about:>> A deep dive into the why’s of design thinking >> Embracing curiosity and seeing where it leads you >> What it means to truly communicate >> Kareem’s wonderful, meandering path through design and design thinking Our GuestKareem Collie is an accomplished designer and educator with a rich background in both the corporate and academic worlds. Leading design teams for organizations like Nickelodeon, Coca-Cola, and USA Network, he has driven transformation and engagement through his expertise in visual and user-experience design. As Design Lead at IBM, he was instrumental in innovating user experiences. Currently, as the Design Director and Manager for NASA JPL's DesignLab, he applies design thinking to communicating and educating about space exploration, bringing a unique intersection of design, science, and technology to the forefront. Before IBM, Kareem was the Director of Design at The Hive, where he merged design thinking with liberal arts and encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration. He has also lectured at prestigious institutions like Stanford University and Pratt Institute. His thought leadership includes co-editing "The Black Experience in Design" and serving on the AIGA’s national educators steering committee. He is a frequent speaker, exhibitor, and podcast guest, solidifying his status in the design community. Kareem holds advanced degrees from NYU and Pratt Institute. With a focus on user-experience and visual design, and a commitment to critical explorations of culture, Kareem Collie continually seeks impactful opportunities through design. Show Highlights [02:19] Kareem’s path to working at NASA. [03:27] Being a creative child. [04:14] Attending Brooklyn Technical High School and studying architecture. [05:22] Discovering new media/digital art while at Howard University.[05:57] Transferring to the Pratt Institute to study graphic design and art direction, and falling in love with design. [07:06] Kareem’s early years in the design industry. [07:55] Co-founding a design studio and teaching at the Pratt Institute. [09:02] Getting to design his own graduate degree curriculum at Gallatin at NYU. [10:18] Going to Stanford’s d.school. [11:02] Becoming the Associate Director and the Rick and Susan Sontag Center for Collaborative Creativity aka “The Hive” at Claremont College. [12:03] Passing through IBM before becoming the Head of Design at NASA’s JPL Lab. [15:07] Dawan and Kareem share memories of travel and exploration and sharing a curiosity about the world. [20:30] Communication and being vulnerable. [22:33] Communication is collaboration. [23:40] Dawan talks about needing to be willing to change during the experience of communicating with someone. [27:05] One of the things Kareem loves most is being part of a learning journey with others. [30:28] What it means to be a leader and how Kareem developed his own sense of leadership. [33:20] The importance of embracing and being OK with ambiguity. [39:15] Design thinking has helped Kareem better understand his own thought processes. [40:00] Kareem hops onto his soapbox about why he loves design thinking and wants others to understand it better. [42:40] Developing the Critical Design Studio course at Claremont. [46:11] Design changes how we see and move through the world. [49:28] Design thinking gives students an alternative way of looking at a thing, whatever that thing might be. Links Kareem on LinkedIn Kareem’s website Kareem on Undefined by Design Hello from the Pluriverse: Season 1 Ep 28 with Kareem Collie The Black Experience in Design Book RecommendationsThe Black Experience in Design: Identity, Expression & Reflection, edited by Anne Berry, Kareem Collie, Penina Acayo Laker, Lesley-Ann Noel, Jennifer Rittner, and Kelly Walters DT 101 EpisodesBuilding Design Capacity + Measuring Design Value + Designing Studios with Doug Powell — DT101 E16 A Designer’s Journey into Designing for Health and Healthcare with Lorna Ross — DT101 E45 Working and Leading at the Intersection of Engineering, Business and Design with Kevin Bethune — DT101 E76

Holly Owens is an Adjunct Professor at the Touro College Graduate School of Technology, where she teaches in the Instructional Technology program, and works full time as an Instructional Designer with PillPack by Amazon Pharmacy. She has over 15 years of experience in education in various roles, including high school educator, instructional technologist, and podcast host. Today, we talk about instructional design and designing learning experiences for adults. Listen to learn about: >> What is instructional design? >> Adaptive, individualized learning >> Andragogy and designing learning experiences for adults >> Incorporating strategic plans and goals into the learning experience Our GuestAs a Corporate Instructional Designer at Amazon Pharmacy, Holly brings over 17 years of diverse experience in education, specializing in instructional technology, design, and teaching. Since 2012, she has been actively involved in online education, currently serving as an educator at Touro University's Graduate School of Technology in their Instructional Design/Technology program. With two master's degrees from the University of Maryland, Global Campus—one in Instructional Technology and another in Distance Education—Holly also holds a certificate in Distance Education Leadership and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Organizational Leadership. Holly’s dedication lies in promoting online learning and its vast potential to empower students worldwide. As the host of the EdUp EdTech podcast, she offers a leading resource to stay updated on the latest and most impactful Ed Tech tools revolutionizing education. The podcast features guests from the EdTech industry, sharing personal and professional growth stories while exploring how technology is reshaping the education landscape. Show Highlights[01:49] Holly discovered a love of EdTech while teaching high school, her first career. [02:12] Moving into higher education and instructional design. [03:44] Getting a job with Amazon Pharmacy. [05:09] Dawan explains why we talk about instructional design on the podcast. [07:06] What is instructional design? [08:59] Holly’s thoughts on remote/distance learning. [11:36] Adult vs young learners. [13:33] Designing learning experiences for adult learners. [15:07] Holly discusses how she designs learning experiences. [18:00] Adult learners want to know the destination and the what and how of getting there. [20:10] Fitting the strategic plan and business goals into the learning experience. [22:32] The differences between the corporate and education spaces when it comes to innovation. [27:18] Holly’s thoughts and advice for those thinking about getting into instructional design. [31:23] Books and resources Holly recommends. [34:24] Where to find out more about Holly and her work. Links Holly on LinkedIn Holly at Touro University EdUp EdTech Holly Owens—Making the Leap from Educator to Instructional Designer An Insider's Perspective: The Journey from Educator to Instructional Designer w/ Holly Owens Holly Owens with Host Toddi Norum: The Changing World of Online Ed & the Future of the Instructional Designer Holly Owens - The Secret is in the Sauce: 5 Key Ingredients to Use When Designing an Online Course from Scratch 5 Ways to Help Students Succeed in Online Courses with Holly Owens Book Recommendations Map It: The hands-on guide to strategic training design, by Cathy Moore Design for How People Learn, by Julie Dirksen Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change, by Julie Dirksen What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming an Instructional Designer, by Luke Hobson The eLearning Designer's Handbook: A Practical Guide to the eLearning Development Process for New eLearning Designers, by Tim Slade DT 101 EpisodesTalk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change with Julie Dirksen — DT101 E131 5.5 Things Every Designer Should Know About: The Future of Higher Education with Bryan Alexander — DT101 E97 Learning Design with Yianna Vovides — DT101 E58

David Staley is an associate professor in the Department of History at Ohio State University. He teaches courses in digital history and historical methods. He also holds courtesy appointments in two departments, the Department of Design, where he has taught courses in digital history and design futures, and the Department of Educational Studies, where he has led the forum on the university. We talk about the future of higher education and learning, remote learning, and explore some of the ideas in David’s latest book, Knowledge Towns. Listen to learn about:>> AI and its potential impact on education >> How will we define a “university” in the future? >> Remote learning >> David’s book, Knowledge Towns Our Guest David Staley is an academic, writer, designer, futurist and journalist.  He is an Associate Professor in the Department of History and (by courtesy) the Departments of Design and Educational Studies at The Ohio State University. He is the author of "Alternative Universities: Speculative Design for Innovation in Higher Education", the co-author of "Knowledge Towns: Colleges and Universities as Talent Magnets" and author of "Visionary Histories", a collection of futures essays. He is an Honorary Faculty Fellow at the Center for Higher Education Leadership and Innovative Practice (CHELIP) at Bay Path University, and a fellow at the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University. In 2022 he was awarded "Best Freelance Writer" by the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists for his "Next" futures column with Columbus Underground. Show Highlights[04:32] David starts off the conversation by talking about how AI will impact and change the future of higher education. [05:12] The Interface. [06:10] One of the top design problems for the remainder of the 21st century. [09:11] What our relationship with AI might look like. [09:40] David gives a few hints on a book idea he’s working on. [10:19] The importance of knowing the level of dialogue a learner needs at any given moment. [11:26] David believes that AI will become a pretty important part of the classroom system. [14:01] New forms of knowledge. [14:46] Preparing students for a world of dynamic change. [18:01] David asks Dawan if he thinks students will come to university to solve problems rather than to learn a discipline. [21:26] A Miro Moment. [23:28] David discusses the epistemic culling phenomenon happening in higher education.[27:40] Will we be redefining what a university is? What might that look like? [32:41] Dawan asks, What is higher learning, and how does it serve us? [33:39] David takes us back to the early pandemic years, and the remote class experience. [34:39] Using the experience as a teaching opportunity. [34:53] The generic feeling of taking classes remotely. [35:32] The idea of Place. [36:43] The value of learning together. [37:20] Where will the location of teaching and learning be in the future? [38:07] Will the numbers of remote students continue to increase? [38:41] The emergency nature of online learning during the pandemic, as opposed to designed online learning. [42:26] How does a university bring what is unique about them into the online learning experience? [43:30] David contemplates future online learning looking like tutorials and one-on-one learning. [47:51] David believes that the best teaching and learning happens one-on-one. [49:35] Colleges and universities are talent magnets. [51:29] Place does matter when it comes to universities, but mostly from an economic development standpoint. [53:37] When remote working and learning can happen anywhere, workers and learners will have the choice in where they live, learn, and work. [56:04] Universities and colleges need to rethink their relationship with the place they are located. [57:32] Moving beyond survival to thriving. [59:18] Graceful endings in higher education spaces. LinksDavid on LinkedIn David’s articles on Educause David on ResearchGate Associate Professor David Staley Discusses Digital History and the Future Voices of Excellence from Arts and Sciences Creative Mornings Columbus Books by DavidHistorical Imagination Alternative Universities: Speculative Design for Innovation in Higher Education Knowledge Towns: Colleges and Universities as Talent Magnets Computers, Visualization, and History: How New Technology Will Transform Our Understanding of the Past History and Future: Using Historical Thinking to Imagine the Future Brain, Mind and Internet: A Deep History and Future Book RecommendationsThe Next Rules of Work: The Mindset, Skillset and Toolset to Lead Your Organization through Uncertainty, by Gary Bolles The Future of Cities, edited by Joel Kotkin and Ryan Streeter DT 101 Episodes A Design Thinking Practitioner’s Shift into Higher Education and the Potential for Design Thinking in Higher Education with Fred Leichter — DT101 E4 Learning Design + Designing for How People Learn with Julie Dirksen — DT101 E42 5.5 Things Every Designer Should Know About: The Future of Higher Education with Bryan Alexander — DT101 E97

This is a Design Thinking 101 episode in the Ask Like a Designer series. Ask Like a Designer helps people explore creating services and solutions by thinking and solving like a designer. You’ll learn about design thinking, service design, learning design, leading and building high-performing teams, and ways to achieve better outcomes. This episode is based on this article: ALD014 // 5 Ways Nobody Cares About You and How They Make You a Better Designer. Read the article and others like it on Fluid Hive’s Ask Like a Designer. What did you think of this episode? Please send your questions, suggestions, and guest ideas to Dawan and the Fluid Hive team. Cheers ~ Dawan Design Thinking 101 Podcast HostPresident, Fluid Hive Show Highlights [00:51] Your tiny narcissist. [00:55] The five ways nobody cares about you. [01:52] Nobody cares what you create. [02:13] Nobody cares about the problems you solve. [02:35] Nobody cares what you know. [02:56] Nobody cares about your experience. [03:19] Nobody cares if you win. [03:51] Fluid Hive’s free thinking tool has all of the questions you need to answer to keep your inner narcissist in check.  The Design Thinking 101 Podcast’s Ask Like a Designer series Ask Like a Designer — DT101 E61 Design, and One Question to Rule Them All // ALD 002 — DT101 E63 There Are No Problems Worth Solving — Only Questions Worth Asking // ALD 003 — DT101 E65 Your Good-Life OS: Designing a System for Living Well and Peak Performance // ALD 004 — DT101 E67 The Swiss-Army Lives of How-Might-We Questions // ALD 005 — DT 101 E69  Designing Facilitation: A System for Creating and Leading Exceptional Events // ALD 006 — DT101 E73  The Innovation Saboteur’s Handbook // ALD 007 – DT101 E77  Three Little Words for Better (Business) Relationships // ALD 008 — DT101 E79  The 30-Minute Solution Matrix: How to Think and Solve Under Pressure // ALD 009 — DT101 E87  Protect Your Solutions with Transformation Stories: Part 1 — Crafting Well // ALD 010 — DT101 E89  Protect Your Solutions with Transformation Stories: Part 2 — Telling Well // ALD 011 — DT101 E92  Want Better Outcomes? Find Better Problems. // ALD 012 — DT101 E99  Designing a Learning System for the Good Life // ALD 013 — DT101 E108

Julie Dirksen is the author of the books Design for How People Learn and Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change. She is a learning strategy consultant with a focus on incorporating behavioral science into learning interventions. Julie was my guest for episode 42 of the show. In this episode, we talk about her latest book, ways to motivate learners and workshop participants, designing learning experiences for skill development, and more. Listen to learn about:>> Julie’s latest book, Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change >> Behavior change challenges >> The biggest challenge when creating virtual learning experiences >> Motivating and engaging learners >> AI in education Our Guest Julie Dirksen is the author of the books Design For How People Learn and Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change. She is a learning strategy consultant with a focus on incorporating behavioral science into learning interventions. Her MS degree is in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University. She’s been an adjunct faculty member at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and is a Learning Guild Guildmaster. She is happiest when she gets to learn something new, and you can find her at usablelearning.com. Show Highlights[02:02] Julie gives a quick summary of her first book and how Talk to the Elephant is its natural sequel. [02:42] The new book tackles the challenges in actually changing behavior. [04:26] On learning experiences. [05:21] Julie is starting to organize a third book, which will be on skill acquisition. [05:34] The evolution of behavioral design. [06:21] The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest behavior change experiment in the history of the world. [07:06] The book’s audience are those in the learning and development field — people who design learning experiences. [08:00] The Change Ladder. [08:54] Julie offers one case study she uses in the book to demonstrate the challenges around behavior change. [14:17] The importance of communicating and working with the people you serve when it comes to changing behaviors. [14:58] Julie tells a story illustrating the importance of talking to and understanding the people you serve and their needs. [17:57] It’s important for people to participate in their own behavioral design. [20:15] Creating the conditions for learners to motivate themselves. [21:22] Making things as easy as possible for someone to do. [22:42] A Miro Moment. [25:27] Creating learning experiences that engage learners. [26:14] The biggest challenge in designing virtual workshops. [27:55] Why Julie is interested in Virtual Reality. [29:34] The top two challenges Julie sees in almost every behavior change. [34:55] Immediate impact and immediate rewards help learners stay motivated. [37:21] Helping learners see what they will be able to do with this new skill or new knowledge. [42:53] Julie shows appreciation for how video games onboard players as a great example of guiding people along the learning curve. [45:11] Designing learning experiences to make your learner feel smart and capable as they acquire new skills and knowledge. [48:42] Julie talks about research on self-directed learning by Catherine Lombardozzi. [49:20] Julie and Catherine will be doing a webinar on the key behaviors seen in good self-directed learners. [52:05] Julie ponders how systems thinking and design fits into behavior change. [52:54] Dawan and Julie talk about AI and its role in education. LinksJulie on LinkedIn Usable Learning Designing for how people learn Book RecommendationsDesign for How People Learn, by Julie Dirksen Talk to the Elephant: Design Learning for Behavior Change, by Julie Dirksen Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman Nudge: The Final Edition, by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein How Change Happens, by Cass Sunstein Misbelief: What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things, by Dan Ariely Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions, by Dan Ariely DT 101 EpisodesLearning Design + Designing for How People Learn with Julie Dirksen — DT101 E42 Learning Design with Yianna Vovides — DT101 E58 Adding System Awareness to System Design to Your Innovation Stack with Julie Guinn — DT101 E43

David Lemus is an independent design strategist with engineering roots working with organizations to empower teams to be customer obsessed and have a culture of iterative learning. He has designed and facilitated dozens of design thinking workshops across Fortune 500 companies, non-profit and government organizations. David is also currently an adjunct professor at the University of Portland's Pamplin School of Business and leads the Portland Design Thinking Meetup community. Listen to learn about: >> Team facilitation >> Human centered-design: mindsets over methods >> [Re]Building human connection  Our Guest David Lemus is an independent design strategist with engineering roots working with organizations to empower teams to be customer obsessed and have a culture of iterative learning. He has designed and facilitated dozens of design thinking workshops across Fortune 500 companies, non-profit and government organizations. David was in-house at Capital One on the Design Thinking and Strategy team. That team focused on changing the way the enterprise worked by empowering all employees with the mindsets and tools of design thinking. His team scaled practitioner and senior leadership programs throughout the risk-averse organization. Prior to Capital One, David was a senior consultant at Peer Insight, a service design and innovation firm where he led service design projects with Fortune 500 and non-profit clients. David is also currently an adjunct professor at the University of Portland's Pamplin School of Business and leads the Portland Design Thinking Meetup community. David has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland. Show Highlights [02:10] How David went from engineer to design strategist. [02:59] The two experiences as an engineer that led David into design thinking. [04:46] Experimenting to find the right career path. [06:54] The challenges of experimentation and risk-taking in the workplace. [09:07] Teaching human-centered design and creativity at Capital One. [11:16] David’s focus is on mindsets, not methods, when it comes to teaching design thinking to others. [14:08] Helping non-designers to understand and use human-centered design in their work.[17:04] A Miro Moment. [18:53] Breaking down silos. [20:29] The lack of skilled facilitators for collaboration at work. [21:20] Finding ways to make meetings productive and fun. [22:40] Do you really need a meeting? [24:47] Designing meetings. [26:09] Practicing active listening during meetings. [27:26] Cultivating the right energy in the team and creating the right environment in the room for the work you’re doing. [27:26] Designing the right activities for your meeting in order to achieve the meeting’s goals. [30:46] David and Dawan talk about why people’s design thinking expectations are often not met in reality. [33:23] What David is working on now: Connection. [38:37] Where to learn more about David’s work. LinksDavid on LinkedIn lemus&co David’s website Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like Public Sector Design + Outcome Chains + Prototyping for Impact with Boris Divjak — DT101 E26 Designing for Healthcare vs Sick Care + The Emergency Design Collective — DT101 E52 The Experimentation Field Book with Natalie Foley — DT101 E123

Learn about teaching and applying design thinking in higher education with Liz Chen, Design Thinking Lead at Innovate Carolina and co-author of The Experimentation Field Book. Topics include Innovate Carolina, The Experimentation Field Book, design thinking and public health, design thinking in strategic planning, and more.

Dr. Lesley-Ann Noel, Afro-Trinidadian design educator, discusses her approach to design thinking with a focus on equity and social justice. They explore the significance of design studies and the power of individuals to make change, as well as the concept of dreaming together to create gradual change.

Victor Udoewa, who works at the CDC, discusses radical participatory design, civic design, relationships in complex systems, and the fallacy of problem solving. He highlights the importance of involving communities in design, recognizing their skills, and incorporating the 'peopleness' of organizations into the process.

Pinar Guvenc is a partner at the award-winning global design studio SOUR, where she leads design innovation strategy. Pinar is also a member of the faculty at Parsons School of Design, and she serves on the Board of Directors at Open Style Lab, a National Design Award-winning nonprofit organization initiated at MIT, with the purpose of making style accessible to people with disabilities. Today on the show, we talk about inclusive design, and making collaboration and co-creation meaningful. Listen to learn about:>> What it really means to collaborate >> Inclusive design and designing for inclusivity >> Teaching the next generation of designers Our GuestPinar Guvenc is a Partner at SOUR — an award-winning global design studio with the mission to address social and urban problems — where she leads design innovation strategy. Prior to SOUR, Pinar co-founded various ventures where she helped set up and grow them through incubation, achieving international recognition and funding from innovation centers and accelerators such as Plug and Play and Climate KIC. Pinar is a member of the faculty at Parsons School of Design, MS in Strategic Design and Management program, author and instructor of the "Inclusive Design" course at School of Visual Arts, and the author and facilitator of the workshop series "Strategic Collaborations" at Pratt Center for Community Development. She serves on the Board of Directors at Open Style Lab, a National Design Award-winning nonprofit organization initiated at MIT, with the purpose of making style accessible to people with disabilities. Pinar is a frequent public speaker and host of the podcast "What's Wrong With": a series of discussions with progress makers and experts to diagnose problems in industries, ideate solutions, and raise awareness among the general public. Show Highlights[02:25] Pinar’s design career began in industrial engineering and finance. [02:57] Becoming an “accidental entrepreneur” and discovering design along the way. [04:10] Pinar’s frustration with the word “collaboration.” [05:43] Designing collaborations. [06:50] What is collaboration? [07:07] Start with the people, then move to process. [10:17] Processes help us stay focused when things are rushed. [11:02] Recognizing our biases and sharing power when collaborating. [11:37] Fully integrating design into an organization. [12:44] Storytelling is part of the design process. [14:51] Our work leadership style needs a fundamental change. [15:37] Adults need to create and learn, just like children. [16:16] A Miro Moment. [18:06] Knowing what you don’t know is an asset. [20:49] How SOUR works inclusivity into the design team and project. [22:12] Pinar gives a shout-out to David Dylan Thomas (DT101 Ep 112). [22:19] Thomas’ Red Team-Blue Team exercise. [22:41] SOUR’s Co-Creation Panel. [23:51] “Design spies!” and just doing the work of co-creation. [24:55] How Pinar brings inclusivity into her teaching. [25:07] Guest lecturers and keeping it real. [27:11] Inclusivity begins during the research stage. [27:52] Generative AI is great for showing us our prejudices and biases. [31:13] The importance of being better, active listeners. [32:28] As designers, we always need to be mindful of our responsibility for what we’re putting out in the world. LinksPinar on LinkedIn Pinar on The New School Parsons SOUR Open Style Lab What’s Wrong With podcast A SOUR Perspective on design Bringing Design Closer: Understanding Architecture's role in designing inclusive spaces Book RecommendationsDesign for Cognitive Bias, by David Dylan Thomas Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like Cognitive Bias + Ethics + Dreaming the Future of Design with David Dylan Thomas — DT101 E112 Designing Your Team + Teams in Design Education + Coaching Design Teams with Mary Sherwin and David Sherwin — DT101 E49 Designing Facilitation: A System for Creating and Leading Exceptional Events // ALD 006 — DT101 E73