Reflection 4
After an impeccable semester, I find myself profoundly influenced by our collaborative group project and Victor Papanek’s seminal work, “Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change.” These experiences have not only enriched my understanding but have also resonantly shaped my aspirations and intellectual pursuits.
Example 1: Empathizing with User Needs
One of the fundamental aspects of design thinking is empathy, which was emphasized throughout our course and in our project, “Pathways Prodigy.” During the initial phase of our project, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 NYU graduating students. These interviews revealed that many students felt unprepared for the workforce, lacking tangible skills and clear guidance. This insight directly influenced the development of our app’s core features, such as the AI-driven course recommendation system and access to professional mentorship.
This approach aligns with the principles discussed in Victor Papanek’s “Design for the Real World,” where he stresses the importance of designing solutions that are truly beneficial to users. By empathizing with students’ concerns and needs, we could tailor our app to address real-world anxieties about career readiness and decision-making, demonstrating a practical application of empathy in design thinking.
Example 2: Iterative Design and Feedback Integration
A significant learning point from both our course and the project was the value of iterative design and incorporating user feedback. After developing our first app prototype, we gathered feedback that indicated the user interface was not intuitive for students unsure of their career paths. The feedback was crucial, leading us to refine the app to include features that assist in exploratory career guidance, like the “Career Strength Test,” which helps students identify potential career paths based on their interests and skills.
This iterative process reflects the design thinking stages of prototyping and testing, which were reinforced by our coursework. It also resonates with Papanek’s advocacy for designs that evolve through user interaction, ensuring that the final product is as user-centric as possible. Our ability to pivot and adapt based on feedback exemplifies the dynamic nature of design thinking in real-world problem-solving.
Connection to Future
These experiences have been pivotal in shaping my understanding of how to approach complex problems with a structured yet adaptive methodology. As I look towards a career in UX/UI design, the skills developed through this course and project — particularly in empathetic design and iterative development — are directly applicable. I plan to further explore how these methods can be enhanced by emerging technologies to create more intuitive and accessible digital experiences.
In conclusion, the “Pathways Prodigy” project not only allowed us to apply classroom theories into practice but also provided a clear framework for how design thinking can be used to tackle significant issues by understanding and iterating based on user feedback. These insights are invaluable as I continue my studies and advance into my professional career.
