Design Thinking
Whakaaro Hoahoa • Human-Centered Problem Solving
Duration
4-6 weeks
Year Level
Years 7-10
Subject
Technology / All Subjects
Focus
Innovation & Empathy
"Mā te rongo, ka mōhio. Mā te mōhio, ka mārama. Mā te mārama, ka mātau. Mā te mātau, ka ora."
Through listening comes knowledge. Through knowledge comes understanding. Through understanding comes wisdom. Through wisdom comes wellbeing.
Design thinking begins with empathy — truly listening to understand the people we're designing for.
📋 Unit Overview
Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation and problem-solving developed at Stanford d.school. It combines creative and analytical thinking to develop solutions that truly meet people's needs.
In this unit, students will learn the Design Thinking process and apply it to solve real challenges in their school or community.
Learning Outcomes
- Develop empathy skills through observation and interviewing
- Define problems from a user-centered perspective
- Generate creative ideas through brainstorming techniques
- Create rapid prototypes to test ideas
- Gather feedback and iterate on designs
- Communicate design decisions effectively
🔄 The Design Thinking Process
😊 Empathize
Understand users
🎯 Define
Frame the problem
💡 Ideate
Generate ideas
🔨 Prototype
Build to learn
🧪 Test
Get feedback
The process is iterative — you may loop back to earlier stages as you learn.
🔍 The Five Phases Explained
😊 Empathize
Put yourself in others' shoes. Observe, interview, and experience what your users experience.
Key Activities: Interviews, observation, immersion, empathy maps
Te Ao Māori: Whakarongo (listening), manaakitanga (care for others)
🎯 Define
Synthesize your research to define the core problem from the user's perspective.
Key Activities: Point-of-view statements, "How Might We" questions
Te Ao Māori: Identifying the kaupapa (purpose)
💡 Ideate
Generate a wide range of creative solutions. Quantity over quality at first!
Key Activities: Brainstorming, mind mapping, sketching
Te Ao Māori: Creative wānanga (collaborative learning)
🔨 Prototype
Build quick, rough versions of your ideas to make them tangible.
Key Activities: Paper prototypes, models, role-playing
Te Ao Māori: Mahi (practical work), trial and learning
🧪 Test
Get feedback from real users. Learn what works and what doesn't.
Key Activities: User testing, feedback sessions, iteration
Te Ao Māori: Arotake (evaluation), continuous improvement
🎯 Design Challenge Ideas
Real-world challenges for students to tackle:
🏫 School Experience
How might we make the first day less stressful for new students?
🌿 Environment
How might we reduce waste in our school cafeteria?
🤝 Community
How might we help elderly neighbors stay connected?
💪 Wellbeing
How might we help students manage stress during exams?
🚶 Accessibility
How might we make our school more accessible for everyone?
🌿 Kaitiakitanga
How might we restore native plants in our local area?
📋 Curriculum Alignment
NZ Curriculum — Technology
- Technological Practice: Planning for practice, Brief development, Outcome development
- Technological Knowledge: Understanding technological modelling
- Nature of Technology: Understanding the characteristics of technology
Key Competencies: Thinking, Relating to Others, Participating and Contributing, Managing Self
Values: Innovation, inquiry, curiosity; Community and participation; Ecological sustainability