KIDS CAN - INNOVATION CAMP
Kids Can! Innovation Camp:
Design-Thinking Activity Plan
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KIDS CAN - INNOVATION CAMP
Design Thinking Activity: The Best Backpack Challenge
(From the Xavier School - Innovation Camp Team, December 2017)
Goal:
Students will design a useful and meaningful ideal backpack based
on their clients needs.
This exercise is a 20 minute deep dive into user interviews, developing
empathy, and defining a user’s feeling.
The five steps of the Design Thinking process are Empathize, Define,
Ideate, Prototype, and Test. We’ll be taking a look at the “Empathize”
segment today, to help students understand the needs of their users
through conversation and observation.
When students are designing or creating a product or solution with
another user in mind, it’s imperative that they have the skills of a
good interviewee, so that they can grasp the underlying emotions
and needs of their users. Without empathy, the content may not
satisfy the user’s real needs. One way to teach your students the skills
of empathy is to lead them through a project.
The Backpack Interview is a short challenge that can help them gain
these important design skills.
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KIDS CAN - INNOVATION CAMP
Design Thinking Approach (Kids Can Version)
1. We Feel - “Empathy”
Students are given time to empathize or feel for someone who may
have or facing some problems. They look at the needs and concerns
of the person whom they are empathizing with, as well as, the social
or personal situations they are in.
Activity Directions:
• Interview your client. (*club moderators/ camp facilitators may
act as the client)
• Guide questions are in the empathy worksheet.
• Take note of your client’s answers through writing on the
worksheet.
*Facilitators will explain what empathy means and how they can
show empathy to their clients. We Feel Worksheet/ empathy map will
be done after this.
2. We Investigate - “Digging Deeper about the problem”
Students dig deeper into the problem that they have identified. They
clearly identify the problem and its root, the conditions, and
consequences that go with it. They start to ask: “How can we…”
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Activity Directions:
• Make the problem clear and research about it.
• Define your client’s need by writing a NEEDS STATEMENT.
(Students will follow the given statement format as seen in the
worksheet.)
3. We Imagine and Plan
Students lay their plan on how to solve or provide a solution to the
problem. They identify as many solutions as they can. In the end,
they need to choose the “best” solution according to feasibility,
effectivity, and efficiency.
Activity Directions:
• Do the Ideate Worksheet. (Come up with a lot of ideas)
• Then, meet as a group and compare solutions.
• Choose the “best” solution according to the following criteria:
◦ feasibility - Is the solution “do-able” or capable of being
accomplished?
◦ effectivity - Is the solution effective enough to address and
solve the problem?
◦ efficiency - Is the solution something that can be done with
less effort, money, or materials?
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4. We Build and Test
Students build and create the prototype of the solution. They can be
as resourceful and creative in building their prototype. Students can
let others use and test their prototype. They further evaluate and
work on improving their prototype based on the feedback from the
first users or testers
5. We Share and Listen
Students are ready to bring their solution out in the public. They share
their product and the story behind it. They listen to the feedback and
comments of other people to further improve their solution.
II. Mindfulness Questions:
1. Was your initial design the same or different than your final
design?
2. Where did you get stuck?
3. When did you get your best idea? Describe the moment.
4. How well did you capture your partner's’ needs?
Reference: A Taste of Design Thinking: Redesigning the Backpack
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