A Pediatrician’s view on Design Thinking (and it’s applications in Early Childhood Growth and Development).
I fell into the world of design thinking quite by accident and unknowingly. I suppose it began when I was in middle school and fell in love with Dystopia and Fantasy novels. They inspired me to imagine a world where a dysfunctional society needed to redefine and reinvent itself. I spent countless hours imagining, sketching, building and redesigning models of this “New Utopia” (as I called it).
As I continued through high school, college and beyond, my journey to save the world settled in the field medicine and as the rigors of training and professional life took precedence, the designer in me lay dormant.
It resurfaced when I became a mom. I was concerned by an observation that my young daughter, as sweet and loving as she was, decided to give all family members a stuffed animal for the holidays. I was determined to reducate my toddler on the true meaning of a gift and the beauty of giving something that the end user would value. Thus began a long tradition of gift making.
Before a project was started, my children and I spent time discussing the gift recipients; we talked about their hobbies, their habits, their needs and desires. Only then would we start to make something personal, meaningful, and useful. This activity required more thought, planning and hands on engagement but the results were always met with heartfelt appreciation.
This ritual paid off well. As teens, my children designed, developed, and went to market with an educational product for children that engages them in the design thinking process.
The concept to develop their cardboard-based modeling system was conceived after my daughter took a summer architecture class and was reminded of our annual “gift making” ritual. She also realized that learning engineering and geometry was engaging when done in the context of designing a space for the people that will actually use it. In the year and a half since they went to market, their Architecture Sets have been used in over 150 schools across the states. As a mom, and a pediatrician, I am both impressed and inspired by their success.
What intrigues me most is the observation that it is the most simple, open ended toys that are limitless in form that can open a child’s mind to the process of design thinking. I observe while children play at our hands-on pop up events and classes, I offer children a simple prompt and watch as they quite naturally (and without years of schooling) think through, design and build solutions to the problems I pose.
It prompted me to seek a deeper understanding of the field of design, design thinking, user experience and how these constructs might be used in early learning. I researched numerous articles (Medium was enormously helpful) and flowcharts deliniating the concepts behind the design process.
As any self-proclaimed “design thinker” would do, I then defined, ideated, and created my own construct based on my research, personal observations and experiences. In the process of trying to add value to my children’s fledgling business, I integrated my new understanding of design thinking process with my 20+ years experience with children, and my knowledge of healthy development and growth. What I realized is that there is a true beauty and value to incorporating the discipline of design thinking into child rearing both in the home and at school. We now run an Architecture and Urban Planning class in schools, camos and after school enrichment programs.
I have, however come to believe is that one key concept seems to be underrepresented in the various Design Thinking flow charts I found. While Empathy, the ability to understand another’s perspective is clearly delineated, sympathy seems to be missing. It may be that when creating a product for commercial use, empathy is adequate for the design process, but would one not make a product even better if the designer truly felt compassion and an authentic desire to improve the life of the end user?
I reflect on an experience at my son’s 4th grade science fair. I recall being impressed that the focus of so many projects was about helping family members overcome challenges in their lives. The presentations typically began like this. “I feel badly that grandpa is in a wheelchair and I want to make his special”. “My sister has diabetes and I feel badly that she cannot eat candy”.
The program I now teach starts with a story about the history of the City of Bridgeport, CT, how it flourished in the 1800’s to mid 1900’s and fell into hard times due to de-industrialization and loss of manufacturing to overseas factories. We look at the the damage loss of jobs and poverty can cause to a city. We take extra time to imagine ourselves as children in that community. We also take some time to appreciate the differences (both positive and negative) between living in that community and in the one the students currently live in.
We then delve into the site itself (which conveniently happens to be down the street from the company factory and headquarters).
We discuss how thoughful development of just one part of the city can improve the area and community as whole. Students are inspired to make a difference and brainstorm ways to help.
I see my students highly engaged and determined to create that change. In their current development, they decide on a sprawling community center with after school programs, an ice cream parlor, a park, an outdoor stage, docks for boats, hotels to bring in visitors, a recycling center, community garden, the list goes on.
I have no formal training in early childhood education, industrial design, urban planning or architecture. But I do have over 20 years experience working with children of many socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds and the full range of academic abilities. And another 19 years bringing up my own children. I cannot think of a single child or population that would not benefit from including Design Thinking in their early learning experience.
To learn more about the designers, Ayana and and Ethan Klein, see their bio’s
