In May 13th, we attended the UA workshop. There is an activity called "Design Thinking Jam". In the first part of this activity, we were taught to think in a "design thinking" way. Then we were divided into 6 groups. Each group would try to resolve one challnege. Then we did some research, discussed, and wrote down our idea, in a "design thinking way" of course. Here are some feedback from us:
Zimo Zhang: A professor from Canada really impressed me. He always asks the course mentor why and how design thinking should be like this, why not go in that way. He always has his own viewpoints on things. I think that's what we should learn most. Don't always follow others' guides, throw more questions and try to find a better way by ourselves.
Bin Yu: Actually, I had different understanding on the question they gived us. After we "interviewed" a customer, I became more and more clear. Now I think "design thinking" is not the way we think as usual. It has many steps and keypoints. Thinking in different directions will lead to different outcome. In out group, we had four students and three professors. The professors gived us a lot of chance to show ourselves. They just helped us, not led us. Also I think my English is not very good because I couldn't show my opinion to them fluently.
Zijian Yang: this was the first time i had ever taken part in the design thinking, and obviously it was quite new to me. However, when we got it started the idea of it and the way we did it attracted me at once. People from different places, at different ages and in different fields just sat around the table and shared their ideas. It was just like the brainstorm. In addition, there is no Chinese classmates in my team so that it pushed me to be independent. I really learned a lot in that afternoon and definitely i would put the idea of design thinking into my study and life in the future. Thanks to SAP. Thanks to UA.
Huan Wang: Design thinking is a design methodology.It help us to think in a new view,and it brighs us to insight.We can find problem through discussion step by step.Problem lead the solution,and customer-centered.In this way,problems get very tangible.what's more,use design thinking method that we can solve problem in a easy way and in a flexible environment.l believe that design thinking will reform the mode of thinking.The bigest thing is that it will benefit to everybody.
Rroundtable discussion with different person who come from different country also help me to accept the different culture,it is a amazing thing.
Thanks great to my teamate in the design thinking discussion,and be grateful to SAP for provides this activity.
Sihui Zhao: Yelp..!I find myself being full of ideas, methods and enthusiasm after the design thinking day by University Alliance. Round table discussion is an effective measure to solve problems. I learned the design thinking process through working together with three other students and three professors. Looking at the bigger context for the customer，Seeing and understanding things from your customers' point of view are the two essential points to be paid attention. And People working in interdisciplinary teams makes things synthetically. Besides, I am interesting in IDF whose idea is to design products more efficient, productive and pleasurable. In my view, design thinking is a user-centered approach and I will learn more in the upcoming conference.
Zongjian He: Learned "Design Thinking" by working in a group with different cultural background. I do believe I will benefit from the methodology in my future research and teaching. I really apprecicate SAP UA offering this precious opportunity and I am interested in cooperating with SAP to disseminate the methodology to more Chinese students.
If there is some more feedback about the "design thinking jam", we will update it in this article. And those are our general feelings about Design Thinking. We will update more info we get from SAPPHIRE NOW 2013 soon.
