An introduction to 'Design for Change'

The past few weeks have involved finishing our first project and completing the final stage of evolution, as part of the Design Thinking Model of innovation, by pitching our prototype to our user, Simon. This required us to show him the model we had made and outline how we would envisage it working if it were to be implemented in the new UCC campus at Carlsberg. Brown (2009, p. 214) notes that "No matter how compelling an idea might be, it is of little value if it cannot be sustained by its intended customers...". Indeed, after pitching our idea to Simon and explaining it through a video recording, we were unsure of its value and the extent to which it would be feasible, given the fact that some negative feedback was received. However, if it is a realistic goal and something which can be achieved and sustained by the students at the new UCC campus, it would be interesting to observe how it is implemented.

It has been insightful to reflect on the Design Thinking Model of innovation and to compare it with 'Design for Change', a movement established in 2009 by teacher, Kiran Bir Sethi, from The Riverside School in India. Design for Change offers a simple 4-step design process of 'Feel, Imagine, Do, Share' which aims to develop the values of empathy, ethics, engagement and elevation within children (Design for Change, 2016). Kiran Bir Sethi's inspirational view is that all children can be enabled to say 'I can'. She speaks of unleashing the 'I can' superpower, empowering children to believe that change is possible and that they themselves can be the instigators of that change. The process equips children with the tools to be aware of the world around them, believe that they play a role in shaping that world and take action towards a more desirable, sustainable future (Design for Change, 2016). In essence, this movement is child-centred and it is this aspect that makes it fundamentally different to the Design Thinking Model of innovation. I am excited to see how this more learner-centred, rather than user-centred, approach will impact how we view and take part in the innovation process as well as the result that will stem from our involvement in it.



The four steps involved in the 'Design for Change' process

The concepts inherent within this more learner-centred approach to innovation, where the focus is primarily on the children concerned, are closely connected to Brown's (2009) assertion that the most important opportunity for long-term impact is through education. He critiques the focus that exists in many schools on analytical and convergent thinking, rather than on the development of creativity, and claims that teachers must nurture the natural creativity of all children, keeping it alive as they advance through the education system and into professional life. Perhaps this is something that more teachers in our schools today should bear in mind in an attempt to harness the value of the creative potential that exists within the minds of young children.

Reference List

Brown, T. (2009) Change by Design, New York, Harper Business.

Design for Change (2016) available at http://www.dfcworld.com/index.html (accessed 20/04/16).