Reflection 4
I selected the Design Thinking course this semester because I found the topic really interesting and I wanted to learn how to become a good designer. After taking this course, I have a new understanding of design and think it is the most meaningful class I have taken this semester. I learned a lot about design knowledge and design tools. For example, I learned how to use miro to design journal maps. This course places a strong emphasis on teamwork and mind-expanding.
In every lesson we have group activities, what impressed me the most was the Lego building activity we did as a group, which was really fun. At first we built it as individuals, and then as a group. I can clearly feel that the power of the team is very strong, and we can build very interesting themed stories. For example, the theme our group built is similar to The Hunger Games. During the process everyone had detailed discussions and assigned tasks, allowing us to design what we wanted in a short period of time. One time, the professor asked us to build Lego without speaking. This was very challenging for us because we couldn’t understand the thoughts of each team member, so I think communication is essential for a team. Through the whole activity, I learned that designing a good product is not enough for one person alone. It requires everyone to work together to complete it.
We have read a lot of different reading materials this semester. In addition to the “Emotional Designs — Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things” that I analyzed in reflection 3, the one that had the most profound impact on me was the reading in week 8: “Prototyping is the Shorthand of Design” by Tom Kelley. This reading explains what prototype and prototype design concepts are. This was very helpful to me because during that time our team was making prototypes, so through reading I learned a lot of useful knowledge and applied it to our prototypes, giving me more to think about in design. I read the corresponding readings after each class because it allows me to better understand what I learned.
The core content of the entire design thinking course is our group project. From the first class to the last class, we are designing our projects. I was very excited on the day of the presentation because we were able to share with everyone the content of the project we had produced throughout the semester. The process of making a project is long and includes many steps, such as selecting topics, building a framework, making prototypes, etc. Each one requires everyone’s efforts to complete. The biggest challenge when working on a group project is conducting the interviews, we need to create a speech that fits the content of the project. Our group had several discussions on the interview script, and everyone came up with suggestions and provided many very meaningful questions and ideas, which made our interview process smoother. We also rehearsed twice before the final speech because we wanted to show our best to everyone. I am very happy to be a team member with them to learn and make projects together.
I think design thinking course is very helpful for my future work direction because I want to become a product designer in the future. I think all the content is very meaningful. For example, the team projects we do and the group activities in class can help me increase my teamwork ability. This is very important at work because there are a lot of group designs at work. Content. Other knowledge is also essential. For example, desk research and prototype will definitely be used in product design. These are explained in detail in design thinking and I fully understand them. Finally, I learned how to use some design software. I learned to use miro in class, and I mastered using Figma when making prototypes outside class. It is very important to learn to use software because the interviewer will examine your software skill when applying for a job. Now that I have enough knowledge in design thinking. Next I want to learn some research on new products so that I can have a specific understanding of various products, so I chose the course for the new product development in the next semester. I hope this course can teach me as much as design thinking. All in all, I learned a lot of useful content from the design thinking course. I am very honored to have chosen this course.
