Design Thinking 101

Rich Wiener is an educator and consultant who works to engage K-12 learners at a high level, and has zeroed in on design thinking as a key component. Rich's career has included being a school principal, Director of Curriculum for Ramsey Public School District in New Jersey, and an adjunct professor of education at Columbia University. We talk about the impact of design thinking in K-12 education. Listen to learn about: >> The design thinking classroom program in the Ramsey public school district>> How design thinking impacts Ramsey’s high school students and teachers>> Advice to school districts wanting to start their own design thinking program>> Some of the partner projects students worked on during the program Our Guest Rich Wiener has served the educational community as a teacher, principal, curriculum director, and adjunct professor of education. He received his Masters Degree from the University of Oregon and his Doctoral Degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. He taught the supervision course in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia and courses on change leadership and methods of teaching at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Rich is currently the CEO of the educational consulting firm, GEN Z Innovate. Throughout his career, Rich has worked to develop educational programs and experiences that inspire student engagement, foster creativity and complex problem-solving, and promote deep understanding and insight. As a part of that journey, Rich and his colleagues in Ramsey, New Jersey established a high school level design thinking course, modeled after the Stanford University d. school. The Ramsey High School Design Lab established partnerships with American Express, Liberty Science Center, Boxed Wholesale, All Things Media, The Center for Social Innovation in New York City, Crisis Text Line, and the New Jersey Legislature, among others. The design thinking model has proven to be a successful approach to engaging high school students in an experience that successfully fosters the creative mindsets that underlie innovative, complex problem-solving. Show Highlights [01:47] Rich’s story begins at the Ramsey Public School District.[02:32] How Time Magazine’s How to Build a Student for the 21st century article influenced and inspired the school district.[04:10] Rich explains the concept of transfer in education.[05:03] Performance assessments and complex problem solving.[06:37] Rich’s thoughts on educational curriculum.[07:10] Our curriculum overemphasizes content over creative thinking.[08:39] Our curriculum doesn’t focus enough on teaching students how to respond to societal issues and problems.[09:15] Our curriculum doesn’t help students understand themselves and their place in the world.[10:17] Rich’s reaction to seeing the 2013 60 Minutes’ interview with IDEO’s David Kelley.[11:37] The question Rich and his colleagues created for their design thinking project.[12:45] The school district’s first foray into teaching design thinking to students.[14:14] Lessons learned during that first project.[16:18] The deeper goals and outcomes of the project.[17:26] Helping kids embrace risk-taking and failure.[18:06] The traditional classroom vs. the design thinking classroom.[20:00] The students’ first project on the first day of class.[21:22] Teaching empathy.[22:25] Partnering the classroom with an outside organization to give students a real-world experience.[24:51] The positive impact the design thinking course had on the teachers, and on teaching and learning outside of the classroom.[28:48] Students tackling English curriculum revision using design thinking.[30:25] Rich gives advice for other K-12 schools that may want to start their own design thinking course.[32:44] How to find businesses and organizations to partner with.[34:44] Rich talks about a student partner project with All Things Media.[42:34] Another student partner project, with American Express.[44:13] Where to learn more about Rich and his work. Links Rich on TwitterRich on LinkedInDesign Lab and Design Thinking Course at Ramsey High School GenZ InnovateGrant Wiggins on ACSD60 Minutes David Kelley interviewProject Breaker Book Recommendations The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design, by IDEO.org Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like Design Thinking + Learning Science with Adam Royalty — DT101 E18A Short Introduction to Design Thinking with Dawan Stanford — DT101 E32 Design for America: Founding + Present + Future, Part 2 — DT101 E37

Kara DeFrias is the current Chief of Staff for the Intuit QuickBooks Platform, with a background rich in both private and public sector experience. Previous work includes serving as senior advisor to the leadership team of the technology and design consultancy 18F in the Obama Administration, founding TEDxIntuit, and being part of the Emmy Award-winning production staff on the Oscars. A do-gooder at heart, Kara has done pro bono digital strategy. Today on the show we talk about UX and moving into, through, and almost out of design.  Listen to learn about: >> Advice for newcomers wanting to get into design>> Seeing the world through design>> The importance of choosing work that aligns with your values>> The need for new voices in the design industry>> Designing in-person UX Our Guest Kara DeFrias' passion for designing engaging experiences has brought her to many exciting places, including the Super Bowl, the Oscars, and two White Houses. Kara's background is a unique mix of private and public sector experience, including 9 years with Intuit and an appointment to the first class of Presidential Innovation Fellows. In the latter she served as entrepreneur in residence, reimagining the relationship between the government and the people from a technology perspective. Kara was Director of UX for then-Vice President Biden at the Obama White House, where she led the Cancer Moonshot work around cancer clinical trials. She then served as Senior Advisor in the Office of Technology in the Biden-Harris White House. She’s currently Chief of Staff for the Intuit QuickBooks Platform team. Previous work includes Senior Advisor to 18F’s Executive Director and senior leadership team, founder of TEDxIntuit, and part of the Emmy award-winning production staff on the Oscars. She also worked on the Women's World Cup press operations team and the Super Bowl. A do-gooder at heart, Kara has done pro-bono digital strategy and communications for the likes of Team Rubicon and spent 10 days in rural India teaching micro-entrepreneur women human centered design, product management, and business skills.  Kara graduated summa cum laude from Penn State University with a masters degree in instructional systems design, and was a finalist for San Diego Woman of the Year. According to her 2nd grade report card, Kara “likes to talk. A lot.” Show Highlights [02:05] The three stages of Kara’s career.[02:34] Her time in instructional design, including a graduate degree from Penn State.[03:03] Moving to California and working in the entertainment industry.[03:51] Starting work at Intuit and finding UX and design.[05:11] Working with the NJM Insurance Group New Media team on usability and user research.[06:39] Developing her UX skillset, and having a great mentor.[09:03] Some of today’s challenges for new people wanting to get into design.[12:44] Advice for newcomers wanting to get into design.[13:20] Kara mentions a few good design conferences.[14:34] The need for design veterans to mentor and support, and conferences to make their spaces accessible and welcoming to new voices.[15:02] Volunteering is an important part of skillset and career development.[17:11] Kara sums up her advice.[19:56] The importance of ensuring that one’s design work endures, to be used and built upon by others.[21:26] What do you do when you feel like you’ve done everything you can in design?[22:30] Kara’s move out of design, and being Chief of Staff at Intuit.[23:46] Learning design will change how you see the world.[27:05] Kara talks about a life a-ha she had while leaving the Obama White House.[27:57] Dawan and Kara talk about aligning your values with the work you choose to do.[30:50] An early lesson Kara learned about treating one’s team well.[33:18] Being OK with making mistakes publicly and taking steps to correct them.[34:54] Asking for help.[36:57] Kara and Dawan joke about a hypothetical Design Twitter Over Dinner podcast.[38:36] Why new voices are a critical need in the design community.[41:51] Book recommendations from Kara.[42:45] Kara’s experience with TedX San Diego and founding TedX Intuit.[45:18] Designing great in-person UX.[47:09] Dawan closes by encouraging veteran designers to become mentors to emerging designers. Links Kara on Twitter Kara on LinkedIn Kara on Medium Kara on Women Talk Design Kara’s website How to get out of your own way as a designer and get down to business Designing the Intersection of Government, Cancer, and the People Cancer Moonshot Chicago Camps conference Button content design conference Confab content strategy conference Book Recommendations  Don’t Make Me Think, by Steve Krug The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters, by Priya Parker  Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like  Your Good-Life OS: Designing a System for Living Well and Peak Performance // ALD 004 — DT101 E67 Teaching Yourself Design Thinking + Innovating in Government with Amy J. Wilson — DT101 E19 Design Thinking + Learning Science with Adam Royalty — DT101 E18 

This episode of the Design Thinking 101 podcast is 5.5 Things Every Designer Should Know About: the Opioid Overdose Epidemic. Our guest today is Stacy Stanford, the Senior Director of Overdose Injury and Violence Prevention at the National Association of County and City Health Officials in Washington DC (NACCHO). At NACCHO, she leads the overdose injury and violence prevention team to deliver funding and technical assistance to more than 60 communities across the United States. Listen to learn about: >> The current state of the U.S. opioid overdose epidemic>> The ways COVID-19 has affected the healthcare system’s ability to work with and treat those who use drugs>> The core principles of harm reduction>> The role misperceptions and stigma about drug use play in making it difficult for those who use drugs to get treatment Our Guest Stacy Stanford joined NACCHO in 2012 and is currently serving as a Senior Director of Overdose, Injury and Violence Prevention. She provides leadership, planning and guidance to the team’s management and staff in the areas of drug overdose, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), falls prevention, and the intersection of COVID, ACEs, and Suicide Prevention. Prior to this position she was the Director of Public Health Transformation and led Project SHINE, a fellowship to strengthen health systems through interprofessional education. Ms. Stanford received her Masters of Science in Public Health Microbiology from The George Washington University School of Public Health. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Denver. Prior to joining NACCHO, she worked on Influenza surveillance and in the development of HAvBED, the Hospital Bed Availability Reporting System during H1N1 at the Department of Health and Human Service. Show Highlights [01:47] Stacy talks about her work at NACCHO, the membership organization of local health departments for the U.S.[03:15] The current state of the opioid overdose epidemic.[03:55] There have been three waves in the epidemic.[05:04] How the COVID-19 pandemic affected our ability to respond to the epidemic.[05:40] The worst problems caused by the pandemic.[06:36] The rise in telemedicine and mobile vans.[07:31] Harm reduction and keeping people safe.[08:08] What is harm reduction?[08:48] A misperception about drug use.[09:42] The core principles of harm reduction.[11:01] What implementation of harm reduction looks like in practice.[12:42] Medication for Opioid Disorder.[13:11] The importance of having peers throughout the programs and healthcare systems that serve those who use drugs.[15:01] The need to change perspectives and de-stigmatize drug use.[16:10] Intersectional stigma.[18:09] What happens when someone gets labeled as an addict or abuser. Links Stacy on LinkedInChicago Recovery AllianceNational Harm Reduction Coalition CDC Drug Overdose information website Drug Policy Alliance Shatterproof Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like 5.5 Things Every Designer Should Know About: The Future of Higher Education with Bryan Alexander — DT101 E975.5 Things Every Designer Should Know About Strategic Foresight with Bart Édes — DT101 E95

Diana Sonis is a passionate believer in holistic 360 strategy and design, with extensive expertise in UX and CX design, service design, and design thinking. Lis Hubert is an acclaimed design and strategy thought leader, writer, and speaker with extensive experience in digital strategy, customer experience, information architecture, and design. Together, they founded CX by Design, a human-centered design company that helps businesses design people-centric products, services, and organizational systems in order to create exceptional customer experiences.  Listen to learn about: >> Customer experience design>> Near- versus long-term strategy>> Helping organizations make design thinking part of their internal processes>> What exactly is innovation?>> Systemic innovation>> Designing for customer intent  Our Guests: Diana Sonis Diana is a passionate believer in holistic, 360 strategy and design, with extensive expertise in UX Design, CX Design, Service Design, and the Design Thinking methodology.  As founding partner of CX by Design, Diana’s mission is to identify nuggets of opportunity within an organization, reorient its existing systems and structures to improve the human experience, help others extend their thinking, and drive material business advantage.  Having designed, built, and successfully sold several companies, Diana works to help businesses shape abstract concepts into concrete online and offline experiences that respond to the needs and motivations of real people.  When she’s not solving strategic challenges, Diana can be found in pursuit of good coffee everywhere. Lis Hubert Lis is an acclaimed design and strategy thought leader, writer, and speaker with extensive expertise in Digital Strategy, Customer Experience, Information Architecture, and Design Thinking.  As founding partner of CX by Design, she has made it her mission to help companies meet their strategic goals. She does so by making the invisible visible through research, making the complex simple through her unique perspective, and bringing understanding and meaning through expert facilitation.  With over a decade of designing successful products and strategies for clients of all sizes, her passion lies in helping her partners think holistically about driving, and enacting, real change. Lis helps businesses not only increase their bottom line, but also their longevity through customer loyalty. When not tackling complex strategic problems, you can find Lis traveling the world enjoying the human experience to the fullest.  Show Highlights [01:18] Diana and Lis talk about their paths into design and customer experience.[07:04] How Lis and Diana approach systems design.[08:11] The three components of a business ecosystem.[09:03] Gauging the health of the business based on the components.[11:27] Lis’ and Diana’s business backgrounds and how it’s helpful for the work they do now.[12:37] Near-term strategy versus long-term strategy.[13:40] Strategy is no good without a roadmap and a process.[16:25] Working backwards from the goal to create the map to get there.[18:38] Why CX by Design starts their weekly client meetings with a few minutes of non-work-related chat.[20:58] Helping clients see the potential of design thinking as a problem-solving method.[24:32] Getting an entire organization to shift into thinking like a designer.[26:47] Creating a culture of innovation.[27:39] CX by Design’s “sweet spot.”[28:24] What is innovation?[29:26] The importance of language in an organization’s innovation culture.[31:56] The concept of systemic innovation.[33:40] Design for customer intent.[35:32] Looking for ways customer intent and a business’ core values interconnect.[36:08] Diana and Lis use the company Patagonia as an example.[38:48] How CX by Design uses information architecture tools in their work.[43:43] Books Lis and Diana recommend that have influenced their work. Links Diana on LinkedInDiana on MediumDiana’s websiteDiana’s articles on UX BoothDiana’s articles on boxes and arrowsLis on LinkedInLis on MediumLis’ personal websiteLis’ professional websiteLis on Women Talk DesignLis’ articles at UX MagazineLis’ articles on boxes and arrowsLis’ articles on UX BoothCX by Design – sign up for their newsletterCX by Design on Twitter Book Recommendations Who Do We Choose to Be?: Facing Reality, Claiming Leadership, Restoring Sanity, by Margaret J. Wheatley Pervasive Information Architecture: Designing Cross-Channel User Experiences, by Andrea Resmini and Luca Rosati Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs, by Larry Keeley, Helen Walters, Ryan Pikkel, and Brian Quinn The Compass and the Nail: How the Patagonia Model of Loyalty Can Save Your Business, and Might Just Save the Planet, by Craig Wilson and Kyle Tait Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, Third Edition, by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler, and Emily Gregory The Design of Business: Why Design Thinking is the Next Competitive Advantage, by Roger Martin Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Tool Kit for Managers, by Jeanne Liedtka and Tim Ogilvie This Is Service Design Doing: Applying Service Design Thinking in the Real World, by Marc Stickdorn, Markus Hormess, Adam Lawrence, and Jakob Schneider Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like Design Thinking for the Public Sector + Building and Training Design Thinking Teams with Stephanie Wade — DT101 E14 Civic Design + Innovation Ops + System Design with Ryann Hoffman — DT101 E62 Employee Experience by Design: How to Create an Effective EX for Competitive Advantage with Belinda Gannaway — DT101 E75

Sara Cantor is a co-founder and the executive director of Greater Good Studio, where she and her team think of themselves as pissed-off optimists. We talk about design for good, ethics in design practice, and creating social impact. Listen to learn about: >> Human-centered design>> Greater Good Studio’s project “gut check”>> The power designers wield>> Better ways of co-designing with clients>> Community-based design work Our Guest Sara Cantor is a creative leader and human-centered designer focused on equity, inclusion and social innovation. After seven years using human-centered design to create new markets for corporate clients, she co-founded Greater Good Studio in 2011 to apply the process and principles of design to the more pressing challenges of the social sector. Her team of “pissed-off optimists" has helped nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies to build internal capacity for social innovation, create and prototype new programs and services, and sustain and scale their impact. Show Highlights [01:06] Sara’s journey into design, and the influence of Tom Hanks’ movie, Big.[01:45] Studying engineering at college.[02:34] Finding her true passion during an engineering design course.[03:52] Attending the Institute of Design.[04:39] Discovering her love of design research.[05:34] The first project where Sara was able to use her design skills.[09:22] Sara talks about her early design career.[10:31] Her rising disillusionment with the for-profit, corporate world.[15:57] Co-founding Greater Good Studio.[18:27] Designing for behavior change has no “marketplace.”[20:53] Greater Good Studio’s approach to business and its work.[21:01] Codifying the “is this the right project for us?” gut check.[23:49] Some of the gut check questions to ponder.[27:28] The power that a designer wields.[29:13] Being accountable not just to the client, but to the end user.[30:16] Helping clients share their power with their end users.[31:18] “Sharing the Sharpie,” co-designing and building ownership of the work.[34:58] Being able to let the client do the designing while providing guidance and support.[36:39] The future direction of Greater Good Studio.  Links Sara on Twitter Sara on LinkedIn Sara on IIT Sara on SEGD Greater Good Studio Greater Good Studio on Twitter Five Questions with Sara Cantor The Gut Check, by Sara CantorIn/Visible Talks 2021: Sara Cantor - Design is Not Neutral: How to Align Work and Values How to Change the World Designing for Good with Sara Cantor Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like Design for Good + Gut Checks + Seeing Power with George Aye — DT101 E50 Critical and Emancipatory Design Thinking with Lesley-Ann Noel — DT101 E57 Innovation Culture + Future of Work + Designing Value with Marc Bolick — DT101 E93

This is a Design Thinking 101 episode in the Ask Like a Designer series. Ask Like a Designer helps people explore 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: ALD012 // Want Better Outcomes? Find Better Problems. 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 Host President, Fluid Hive Show Highlights [00:53] The human desire to create.[01:15] Rushing solutions leads to poor outcomes.[01:37] Problem spaces and finding the right question to answer.[02:15] The people inside the problem space.[02:38] The context in which the people experience the problem.[03:02] The history of the people and the context reveal changes over time.[03:15] Problem finding.[04:11] Finding and refining problems is not our natural inclination.[04:52] Problem framing.[05:17] How Might We questions.[06:01] Getting comfortable with ambiguity as a designer.[06:47] The eight things you can do with a How Might We question.[08:08] The best solutions come from diverse teams.[08:29] Fluid Hive’s free thinking tool will help you focus your solution energy. The Design Thinking 101 Podcast’s Ask Like a Designer series Protect Your Solutions with Transformation Stories: Part 2 — Telling Well // ALD 011 — DT101 E92 Protect Your Solutions with Transformation Stories: Part 1 — Crafting Well // ALD 010 — DT101 E89 The 30-Minute Solution Matrix: How to Think and Solve Under Pressure // ALD 009 — DT101 E87 Three Little Words for Better (Business) Relationships // ALD 008 — DT101 E79 The Innovation Saboteur’s Handbook // ALD 007 – DT101 E77 Designing Facilitation: A System for Creating and Leading Exceptional Events // ALD 006 — DT101 E73 The Swiss-Army Lives of How-Might-We Questions // ALD 005 — DT 101 E69 Your Good-Life OS: Designing a System for Living Well and Peak Performance // ALD 004 — DT101 E67 There Are No Problems Worth Solving — Only Questions Worth Asking // ALD 003 — DT101 E65 Design, and One Question to Rule Them All // ALD 002 — DT101 E63 Ask Like a Designer — DT101 E61

Chelsea Mauldin is the Executive Director of the Public Policy Lab and an adjunct professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.  Listen to learn about: >> The work of the Public Policy Lab>> How design and design thinking can help governments make better public policy>> Human-centered design in public policy>> The preparatory work that often goes underrecognized in the design cycle  Our Guest Chelsea Mauldin is a social scientist and designer with a focus on government innovation. She directs the Public Policy Lab, a nonprofit organization that designs better public policy with low-income and marginalized Americans.  The Public Policy Lab partners with government agencies and NGOs to develop more satisfying and effective policies and service delivery through ethnographic research, human-centered design, rapid prototyping, and formative evaluation. Find out more on PPL's website, or on Twitter. Chelsea is a frequent keynote speaker and panelist at global conferences, and she serves as an adjunct professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Previously, she consulted to municipal and federal agencies, directed a community-development organization, led government partnerships at a public-space advocacy nonprofit, and served as an editor for publishing, arts, and digital media organizations. She is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and the London School of Economics. Show Highlights  [01:02] Chelsea’s journey from book editor to information architect to designer.[01:44] Getting a graduate degree in design and social policy.[02:03] Founding the Public Policy Lab in 2010.[03:34] What happens when you start using design in the context of creating public policy and services.[04:38] The disconnect between those who set policy and those who use the results of the policy.[05:31] Chelsea talks about some of the ways design is currently being used by U.S. government agencies.[07:07] The need for a more holistic, less digital approach.[09:09] Public Policy Lab’s “Layer Cake” framework model.[09:45] The four layers of government.[12:46] How Public Policy Lab begins work with a new government partner.[14:34] Our first responsibility is to the public interest and need.[16:12] Considerations when recruiting members of the public to interview.[19:08] Some of the challenges of working with government agencies.[20:45] Chelsea and Dawan offer advice for working with attorneys.[24:27] The prep work needed before launching a test of a prototype or solution.[26:07] Designating pilot leaders to help with launch.[27:32] Next steps after a successful test launch.[28:34] Handing the work over to the partner.[29:59] The process of finishing and closing a project.[31:23] Project storytelling.[32:08] Design is change management.[33:14] Chelsea makes an interesting observation about how those in the public sector measure their success and seniority.[37:13] Designers can be so excited about the new thing they forget the loss that can be associated with it.[38:18] Things that Chelsea is excited about right now in public policy design.[42:21] Where to learn more about the Public Policy Lab. Links  Chelsea on Twitter Chelsea on Columbia | SIPA The Public Policy Lab The Public Policy Lab on Twitter Innovating Gotham: Interview with Chelsea Mauldin of Public Policy Lab An Evening with Chelsea Mauldin How the Public Policy Lab uses design thinking to create better policies Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like Design Thinking for the Public Sector + Building and Training Design Thinking Teams with Stephanie Wade — DT101 E14 Public Sector Design + Outcome Chains + Prototyping for Impact with Boris Divjak — DT101 E26 Democracy as a Design Problem with Whitney Quesenbery — DT101 E68 Design Council UK + Systemic Design + Design in Government with Cat Drew — DT101 E78

This episode of the Design Thinking 101 podcast is 5.5 Things Every Designer Should Know About: the Future of Higher Education. Our guest today is Bryan Alexander. Bryan is a senior scholar at Georgetown University and runs a consultancy focused on the future of higher education.  Listen to learn about: >> The current state of higher education>> Student loan debt and the financial structure of universities and colleges>> The role of tech and digital platforms in higher ed>> The effects of the lack of population growth and increased longevity on higher education and society>> The connection between higher education and the climate crisis>> How science fiction can help us think about the future Our Guest Bryan Alexander is an award–winning, internationally known futurist, researcher, writer, speaker, consultant, and teacher, working in the field of higher education’s future. He completed his English language and literature PhD at the University of Michigan in 1997, with a dissertation on doppelgangers in Romantic-era fiction and poetry.  Then Bryan taught literature, writing, multimedia, and information technology studies at Centenary College of Louisiana. There he also pioneered multi-campus interdisciplinary classes, while organizing an information literacy initiative. From 2002 to 2014, Bryan worked with the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education (NITLE), a non-profit working to help small colleges and universities best integrate digital technologies. With NITLE he held several roles, including co-director of a regional education and technology center, director of emerging technologies, and senior fellow. Over those years Bryan helped develop and support the nonprofit, grew peer networks, consulted, and conducted a sustained research agenda. In 2013, Bryan launched a business, Bryan Alexander Consulting, LLC. Through BAC he consults throughout higher education in the United States and abroad. Bryan speaks widely and publishes frequently, with articles appearing in venues including The Atlantic Monthly, Inside Higher Ed. He has been interviewed by and featured in the Washington Post, MSNBC, The Wall Street Journal, US News and World Report, National Public Radio (2017, 2020, 2020, 2020, 2020), the Chronicle of Higher Education (2016, 2020), the Atlantic Monthly, Reuters, Times Higher Education, the National Association of College and University Business Officers, Pew Research, Campus Technology, The Hustle, Minnesota Public Radio, USA Today, and the Connected Learning Alliance.  He recently published Academia Next: The Futures of Higher Education for Johns Hopkins University Press (January 2020), which won an Association of Professional Futurists award. His next book, Universities on Fire: Higher Education in the Age of Climate Crisis, is forthcoming from Johns Hopkins. His two other recent books are Gearing Up For Learning Beyond K-12 and The New Digital Storytelling (second edition). Bryan is currently a senior scholar at Georgetown University and teaches graduate seminars in their Learning, Design, and Technology program. Show Highlights  [01:50] Bryan kicks things off by talking about the state of higher education financing.[03:32] How do we achieve the promise of higher education?[04:10] The idea of debt forgiveness.[04:50] The varying experiences of college students in terms of the financial investment in a degree.[06:45] Issues with the “sticker price” of tuition.[07:20] The real price of tuition.[09:11] The financialization of higher education.[11:25] The digitalization of higher education.[12:02] How the pandemic accelerated the use of digital technology in higher education.[13:10] The contribution of higher education to digital, online content.[14:27] The need for more support for faculty using digital platforms.[15:02] Campus enrollment vs online enrollment.[15:59] Bryan considers the future of higher education and digital tech.[17:47] Backlash against the online learning experience.[20:30] The demographic transition re-shaping the world.[24:17] The increasing healthcare needs of an aging population.[25:19] Population shrink and what it means for higher education.[29:18] The enrollment challenge.[30:41] College enrollment peaked in 2012.[33:04] Lack of enrollment contributes to the financial precariousness of higher ed.[34:46] Higher education is more concerned than ever before about students as people, and devoting resources to helping improve their health and wellbeing.[36:56] The climate crisis and higher education.[37:25] The future evolution of physical campuses.[41:41] The possibility of addressing the climate crisis in higher education.[44:34] Science fiction and thinking about the future.[50:28] The Future Trends Forum. Links Bryan on Twitter Bryan on LinkedIn Bryan on Medium Bryan’s website The Future of Education Observatory The Future Trends Forum Book Recommendations  The Population Bomb, by Paul Ehrlich and David Brower Rainbow’s End, by Vernor Vinge The Highest Frontier, by Joan Slonczewski The Actual Star, by Monica Byrne Academia Next: The Futures of Higher Education, by Bryan Alexander The New Digital Storytelling: Creating Narratives with New Media, by Bryan Alexander Gearing Up for Learning Beyond K-12: Preparing Students and Schools for Modern Higher Education (Solutions) (Off-Campus and Blended Methods of Engaging in Advanced Learning), by Bryan Alexander Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like Redesigning a Design School + Designing Higher Ed with Jason Schupbach — DT101 E30 Learning Design with Yianna Vovides — DT101 E58 Design + Afrofuturism + Doomsday Optimism with Raja Schaar — DT101 E91

Dr. Abby Bajuniemi holds a PhD in applied linguistics from the University of Minnesota and is currently a user researcher in industry. We talk about language, design research and researcher self-care. Listen to learn about: >> How language and linguistics affect design>> The interaction of society and language>> Trauma-informed user research>> Researcher self-care>> The importance of asking for help>> Language and technology>> Being mindful about the language used in design Our Guest  Abby is the manager of UX Research and Content at Calendly. She holds a PhD in Hispanic and Lusophone Literatures, Cultures, and Linguistics with specialization in Second Language Acquisition and Sociolinguistics. She loves to nerd out with people about language and research methods, either together or separately. She loves the Oxford comma, but will never correct your grammar Show Highlights [00:57] How and why Abby moved from linguistics to user research.[02:06] The importance of taking the time to think about language as a designer.[03:30] Audience design.[04:15] Aspects of linguistics that are helpful for designers and researchers.[04:45] Being mindful of the language choices you’re making.[05:07] Abby talks about the tone of language/voice.[06:14] Abby’s “superpower.”[07:00] How people understand and use language.[10:03] Abby talks about what happens when stakeholders don’t follow the user research recommendations.[11:22] You have to be a good storyteller for your stakeholders.[12:16] Ways Abby has seen her work come to fruition.[15:14] User research can be revelatory for organizations that have never used it before.[17:06] Trauma-informed research and researcher self-care.[18:03] User research can be intense and emotional.[20:05] Dawan and Abby talk about the importance of asking for help.[22:35] Asking for help is part of what collaboration is.[24:15] Asking for help is working smarter.[25:27] Abby talks about the book she’s writing.[25:56] Cognitive language models.[26:42] Voice-activated assistants.[28:07] Language and chatbot design.[29:34] Thinking about the future of language design.[33:01] Books and resources for researchers and those wanting to learn more about language.[36:52] The way language can play into stigma.[39:39] Abby talks about an example of purposeful language design done at the 18F agency.  Links Abby on LinkedIn Abby on Medium Abby’s website Abby on Women Talk Design On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots: Can Language Models Be Too Big?, by Emily Bender, Timnit Gebru, Angelina McMillan-Major 18F Book Recommendations  Universal Methods of Design, Expanded and Revised: 125 Ways to Research Complex Problems, Develop Innovative Ideas, and Design Effective Solutions, by Bruce Hanington and Bella Martin Measuring the User Experience: Collecting, Analyzing, and Presenting Usability Metrics, by Bill Albert and Tom Tullis Thinking Through Methods: A Social Science Primer, by John Levi Martin The Black Experience in Design: Identity, Expression & Reflection, By Anne Berry, Kareem Collie, Penina Acayo Laker, Lesley-Ann Noel, Jennifer Rittner, and Kelly Waters Your Computer Is on Fire, by Thomas Mullaney, Benjamin Peters, Mar Hicks, and Kavita Philip Mixed Methods: A short guide to applied mixed methods research, by Sam Ladner Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism, by Safiya Umoja Noble You Can Do Anything, Magic Skeleton!: Monster Motivations to Move Your Butt and Get You to Do the Thing, by Chuck Wendig and Natalie Metzger Language And Power, by Norman Fairclough Discourse and Social Change, by Norman Fairclough Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like User Research + Asking Better Questions with Michele Ronsen — DT101 E88 Teaching Yourself Design Thinking + Innovating in Government with Amy J. Wilson — DT101 E19 Design Thinking + Learning Science with Adam Royalty — DT101 E18

This episode of the Design Thinking 101 podcast is 5.5 Things Every Designer Should Know About: Strategic Foresight. Our guest today is Bart Édes. Bart is a professor at McGill University in International Development. Listen to learn about: >> Future thinking and strategic foresight>> The benefits of using of foresight>> How to start using foresight in your organization>> Teaming up with a futurist>> Three skills decision makers need to prepare for the future>> The Futures Wheel  Our Guest Bart Édes is a policy analyst, commentator, and author of Learning From Tomorrow: Using Strategic Foresight to Prepare for the Next Big Disruption. He focuses on Asian economic cooperation and integration, sustainable development, international trade, trends reshaping the world, and futures thinking. Édes contributes to the work of the OECD Development Assistance Committee's Friends of Foresight Community and Task Force on Foresight for Sustainable Development Finance. Based in Montréal, Édes is a Professor of Practice at McGill University's Institute for the Study of International Development. Show Highlights [01:09] Bart gives a quick introduction to himself.[02:59] The short definition of strategic foresight.[03:50] What does it mean to have ideas about the future?[04:00] Foresight is multidisciplinary.[04:35] There’s been a surge of interest in foresight since the beginning of the pandemic.[05:12] What’s involved in strategic foresight?[06:34] Foresight is not prediction.[06:58] An exercise in foresight yields scenarios.[07:10] Foresight scenarios are not the same as forecasting.[07:57] Looking at emerging drivers of change.[08:56] The 5.5 things you need to know about strategic foresight.[09:23] Why organizations should use foresight.[10:09] Bart talks about foresight work done by the Rockefeller Foundation in 2010.[10:42] Why foresight is becoming more popular now.[12:54] The tendency to focus on the immediate as opposed to the future.[14:29] How to start using foresight in your organization.[14:42] Scanning for weak signals.[15:40] Some trends and new innovations on the rise because of the pandemic.[19:17] How to use weak signals.[21:42] Bart talks about best practices for partnering with a futurist, and where to find free resources on using foresight.[24:11] Bart talks a little about his book, Learning from Tomorrow.[26:08] The Global Trends Report put out by the US National Intelligence Council.[28:04] Three skills Bart wishes today’s decision-makers had.[28:38] Learning from past experience.[29:14] Creating a learning culture.[30:26] Becoming future-oriented.[32:48] How to use the Futures Wheel. Links Bart on LinkedIn Bart on CSIS Bart on Medium Learning from Tomorrow with Bart W. Édes On Strategic Foresight & Reshaping Asia & the World Global Trends Report The Futures Wheel  Book Recommendations Learning from Tomorrow: Using Strategic Foresight to Prepare for the Next Big Disruption, by Bart Édes Other Design Thinking 101 Episodes You Might Like  Adding System Awareness to System Design to Your Innovation Stack with Julie Guinn — DT101 E43 A Short Introduction to Design Thinking with Dawan Stanford — DT101 E32 Teaching Yourself Design Thinking + Innovating in Government with Amy J. Wilson — DT101 E19