Using Design Thinking to explore Opportunities, Feasibility, and Experiences

Design Thinking is a problem solving process used for innovation and when creating something new. A five step iterative process - empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test - it allows designers to make successful products that satisfy user needs. In this project we explore the process of design thinking through different lenses and contexts. The first context was an environmental setting - working with Fresh Water Life, an organization trying to preserve the beauty of Lake Michigan. We explored opportunities around new creative uses for discarded microplastics and the related technical feasibility. The second context was an educational setting, redesigning an exhibit station at a children\u27s museum to better engage and educate younger audiences. In both contexts, we applied the design process, including secondary research, interviewing target users, creating mockups and models, gathering feedback from users through testing, and interviewing experts. Although the process steps were similar for both cases, the findings and insights were dependent on specific context