How Magic Show Inspires Me About Design Thinking

For the second reflection, I choose to go to Daniel Roy ‘s NYC Magic Show. Most of this magic performance is card magic, but Roy will divide it into different chapters and combine various other types of magic in the form of a stage play to show it to the audience.

There are two reasons why I chose to participate in a magic show as the subject of my Reflection2. First of all, I don’t have a very keen sense or taste for art, so I don’t think that participating in musicals or art exhibitions will significantly improve me. Secondly, I have always been very curious about magic, and I also hope to take this opportunity to see a magic show with my own eyes.

While watching the magic show, I unexpectedly discovered the connection between Roy’s performance and the Design Thinking class I was taking.

First, no magic trick is perfect the first time. Magicians refine their tricks based on their observations, feedback, and the reactions of their audience. Likewise, innovation is an iterative process. Solutions are continuously refined based on feedback and real-world performance.

Secondly, a memorable magic performance is often embedded in a compelling narrative. It’s not just about the trick but the context and the story around it. Roy’s strong narrative ability makes my thoughts follow him all the time, which is an aspect that I have overlooked. His “cheating” process, on the other hand, also deepened my overall performance experience. Through interviews in the first few classes, I also deeply realized that storytelling is an effective way to convey the importance and relevance of a solution. Understanding and framing the context is key to creating impactful solutions.

To sum up, this was a very meaningful experience. Not only was it the first time in my life that I witnessed a magic show, which relaxed me and broadened my horizons, I was also able to unexpectedly connect it with my classroom studies and project experience.