Foundations of Design Thinking

This unit introduces core design thinking principles and practices used in engineering problem solving, emphasizing empathy, observation, goal definition, team formation, and the creative process. Students will learn to plan small experiments, design evaluation methods, and organize work and communication to prepare for prototyping and refinement in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze stakeholder groups and user needs using empathy and observation techniques to define clear project goals and target search areas for an engineering challenge
• Apply design thinking mindsets and structured creative processes to generate, prioritize, and document multiple solution concepts and corresponding early-stage experiments
• Demonstrate team formation, role assignment, communication protocols, and preparatory activities (attitude, materials, and basic structures) required to execute iterative design tasks
• Evaluate tasks and work packages by selecting appropriate evaluation methods, clarifying test-phase tasks, and sequencing work to prepare for prototyping and validation in later units