Dig Deeper with
Design Thinking
A presentation deck for training educators on the
Project MASH design thinking process
Half-day version
Quick Challenge
TIME 10 minutes
Design your perfect workspace. Using
only the tape provided and your
designated space, create a design that
shows your ideal workspace.
Today’s explorations
Gain an in-depth understanding of design
thinking.
Experience design thinking first-hand
through the Hallway Hieroglyphics project.
Discuss how you can use this project (and
other related design thinking experiences)
in your classroom.
What is design thinking?
How Design Thinking Can Empower Young People
from Is School Enough? A video series on Edutopia
Design thinking is a creative and collaborative
process for identifying problems and their
innovative solutions.
Design thinking is one of several teaching
strategies that inform the educational content
and experiences available on Project MASH, a
social network for learning.
Design thinking engages students in an
active, meaningful process that connects
core content to the real world.
.
Design thinking facilitates project-based
learning. It is naturally interdisciplinary and
provides relevant opportunities to improve
verbal, written, and visual communication
skills.
Design thinking is civically charged.
The design thinking process
The design thinking process
The design thinking process
The design thinking process
Ready to Dig Deeper?
Explore the design thinking process with a
project from Project MASH.
Hallway Hieroglyphics Project
A Design Thinking Project from Project MASH
Have some blank space on your campus that you’d like to
transform? Create a hallway hieroglyph!
Imagine a visitor walking through the hallways at your school.
How can you help improve their experience? Using colored
masking tape as a medium, help transform the hallway
experience with simple iconic imagery that communicates
Fill this blank with subjects or targeted content from your curriculum.
STEP
Discover
TIME
5 minutes
GOA
L
To establish a collaborative team
 Choose a partner or small team
based on similar subject/content
areas
STEP
Discover (cont.)
TIME
15 minutes
GOA
L
To conduct an interest inventory by exploring
what’s most interesting about your content area.
Work with your team to make a list of all the
concepts you cover.
 What makes your content area exciting?
 What makes your content area unique?
STEP
Dig Deeper
TIME
20 minutes
GOAL
To make connections between ideas by taking a closer
look at your content interests.
Review your list of content area interests.
 Find as many direct and indirect associations
between the items. Ask why? Ask how?
 Create a concept map to show how items on your
list are directly or indirectly related. [See the next
slide for an example.]
 Choose two to three area of focus.
Hallway Hieroglyphics Project
Example concept map from the Critical Design & Gaming School (C:DAGS)
STEP Dig Deeper (cont.)
TIME
15 minutes
GOA
L
To develop your concept statement.
 Using the focus areas you selected,
describe how ideas relate to other topics
and bigger ideas. This “concept statement”
forms the foundation for your hieroglyph.
[See the next slide for an example.]
Hallway Hieroglyphics Project
Example concept statement
STEP
Brainstorm
TIME
25 minutes
GOAL To visualize your concept with idea sketches (part 1)
Create several quick sketches to visualize your
concept statement. [See the next slide for
examples.]
 The goal is not to be perfect.
 Don’t worry about being artistic.
 List as many possibilities you can think of.
Hallway Hieroglyphics Project
Example idea sketch
STEP Brainstorm (cont.)
TIME
5 minutes
GOA
L
To narrow down your concept based on
your idea sketches (part 2).
 Circle 3 to 5 of your favorite
sketches.
STEP
Brainstorm (cont.)
TIME
25 minutes
GOAL
To get feedback on your concept based on your idea
sketches (part 3).
Pair up with another team.
 Share your concept statement and favorite
sketches with them.
 Ask them what they like, what questions they
have, and what suggestions they have for
improvement.
STEP
Define
TIME
20 minutes
GOAL
To choose a sketch and (re)iterate the design
several times.
 Sketch and sketch again. Consider having
different team members sketch alone. Then,
compare and merge designs into one final
drawing.
 Write a short summary explaining why you
chose this design.
STEP
Plan It Out
TIME
15 minutes
GOAL
To develop a plan for executing your solution.
Using your best sketch, make a plan for your
masking tape hieroglyph. [See the next slide for an
example.] Remember:
o Masking tape medium will not make curves.
o Color choice is limited to the tape available.
o Your sketch needs to scale to the space’s
measurements.
Hallway Hieroglyphics Project
Example plan
STEP
Get It Done
TIME
60 minutes
GOAL
To turn your idea into something tangible by
creating your hieroglyph.
 Use masking tape and your design to
bring your hieroglyph to life.
 Have fun! Remember to focus on the
process and not perfection.
Project Share
TIME
20 minutes
 What is your concept statement?
 What sketches do you like best from your
brainstorming session?
 What is your final design?
 How might students participate in this
project?
Reflection & Discussion
TIME
2O minutes
 How else might you use the Hallway
Hieroglyphics project?
 What skills and content did you cover today? If
this was adapted to your subject area, what skills
or content could you cover using this approach?
 What role does technology play? How is this role
distinct from the simple notion of “technology
integration”?
Common Core Connections
TIME
25 minutes
In a small group, brainstorm how the Hallway Hieroglyphics
project connects to the Common Core State Standards.
Choose one area to brainstorm. Think about your
experience today, as well as how the project could be
expanded in a classroom setting:
• Reading & writing across the
disciplines
• Integration of informational text
• Task appropriate to purpose &
audience
• Point of view & multiple
perspectives
• A value for evidence (words &
data)
• Using the right tools for problem
solving
Design thinking is an approach to teaching and
learning at the heart of Project MASH, a social
network for educators, students, and the
organizations that serve them.
Visit www.projectmash.org for student activities
and projects that rely on design thinking and other
unique teaching strategies.