The unexpected benefits of being a mentor
Around a year ago a group of us at Yoti started hosting monthly CoderDojo events. CoderDojo is a volunteer-led initiative that gives kids a space to learn tech-related skills for free. They’re encouraged to learn and think for themselves, but they can always turn to their peers or mentors for a helping hand.
As a designer I became involved in the design thinking branch of this. We ask the kids to design their own app screens, as well as explore the discovery and testing phases of a designer’s workflow.
Getting involved in CoderDojo is enriching in itself, but I believe that it’s also given me some new skills and experiences I couldn’t have gotten in my normal workday.
The best way to learn is to teach
Although the kids tend to get on with the work themselves you’ll often get questions about how to do a particular thing. I’ve had to become very familiar with my own craft so that I can explain it in an accurate and clear way.
Humans learn best when they experience things rather than read about them. Dale’s Cone of Experience shows us that experiencing things authentically and directly is the best way to do this.
It makes sense that someone completing a practical experience themselves will learn a lot. But so will you. Using your own knowledge to guide them through the experience refreshes it in your mind.
It improves your ability to explain things
Talking about design thinking with other designers is easy; trying to have the same conversation with a seven-year-old is madness.
The way we explain the design process to people outside of our bubble is so important, and it’s a skill that we’re rarely taught. There’s a concept called “explain like I’m five” on Reddit that nails what I’m going for here. Finding the answer to something specific often requires some background knowledge. When you have someone to “translate” concepts into something you can get without expertise, then it becomes interesting. You want to learn because it’s enriching. With an educator to guide you, you become more confident in what you can understand and you absorb more.
Non-designers want to learn from us. It’s our responsibility as experts to filter our knowledge down into something anyone can understand.
The way we explain the design thinking process to the kids that come to the CoderDojo works really well. After our explanation they understand the importance of empathy when designing. Typically we explain it like this:
- Person is who you’re designing for. What’s their name? What are their favourite things, who do they live with?
- Problem is something in their day that makes them angry or sad. How can we help them?
- Design is when you create something to solve their problem. How does it look, how do they use it?
- Test is when you find out if your design solves the problem. Show your design to someone else. What do they think about it?
- Review is when you think about what you’ve done today. What are you proud of? What would you do differently next time?
You pick up new skills
When you do something outside of your regular work there are many things you’ll learn without even realising. As someone without children, one of my biggest lessons has been talking to them on their level. Understanding what makes them interested or frustrated. They think on completely different levels to me, and it’s been a rewarding exercise to learn more about that.
One thing that we found was that the kids enjoy the drawing and colouring parts the most, even if they don’t understand interface design that well. I wanted to create a booklet that gave them more space to draw.
I’ve made printable materials, but making something on the scale of a full workbook was something I’d never done before. Over a few lunchtimes I created my initial version, and then took this into our most recent CoderDojo session.
Having the spaces for drawings and diagrams went down well. Some of the kids wrote in the spaces instead, but the ones who drew in them took their time and were proud of their work.
I made notes on this version of the books as I spotted things the group was struggling with. Balancing the acts of mentoring and taking notes was intense (look at that handwriting!) but I still came away with actionable points for improvement. Next time we run the dojo I’ll have a booklet that‘s even better than the first.
It’s inspiring to see others learn and get excited
The best thing for me was being able to share my passion with others. And the kids loved learning from me too. Rather than simply drawing app screens, they were making things in a meaningful and user-focused way. It’s a massive confidence boost. Watching someone learn and care about the thing that drives you every day is amazing, and it gives you motivation to keep on doing more.
If you think CoderDojo sounds like a great time, Yoti is always open to volunteers to join us in our monthly sessions. Send us a message at yoti.uk@coderdojo.com for more info on this. You could even start your own dojo if you’re feeling brave!
