I've written about the new d.school class that we are teaching in Fall. We've got more details about the class, and if you are a Stanford masters students (from any department on campus, we select a mix of students and you work in teams), we hope you will consider applying. These are intense classes with a large element of realism. They are also really fun. We also have more d.school classes coming this year.
I realize that most of you aren't Stanford students. But there some interesting lessons from these classes about how to do creative work and to prepare students to work on teams that do creative work, and I'll tell you about the interesting ones as they arise.
Clicks-n-Bricks: Creating Mass Market
Experiences
MS&E 289 – Fall Quarter 06
Clicks-n-Bricks: Creating Mass
Market Experiences is the lead-off in a series of project-based classes taught
by Stanford’s Hasso Platner Institute of Design(“The d.School”)this year. This
class will focus on innovating On-Line and Off-Line experiences for customers
and employees, working with real executives, industry experts, and companies to
find solutions to real problems.
The projects will be tackled in
teams. The class will be made up of graduate students from varied backgrounds
and programs. Students will do most of their work in interdisciplinary teams.
Students will get out in the field, make observations of users in context, and
quickly iterate prototype experiences, organizational design changes, and other
solutions aimed at improving customer and employee experiences. In addition to intense interactions with the
teaching team, students will be guided, coached, and judged by a cast of
industry executives, managers, and experts.
The class will focus on two
projects. The first will be on improving the “theme park” experience for
customers as an introduction to design thinking and methods. Students will
visit and study local theme parks and apply the design process to identify
problems and quickly iterate solutions. They will be advised and receive feedback
about their work from managers and executives in the industry, as well as
members of the teaching team. The second project will entail using the design
process to work with Wal-Mart on its sustainability initiative, specifically to
spread knowledge, network connections, and enthusiasm among Wal-Mart employees
about this initiative. Wal-Mart executives and managers will work with students
to explain the company’s commitment to sustainability, guide students efforts
to engage Wal-Mart employees more fully and effectively in this effort, and
(along with other experts), give feedback to students about their work.
Student teams will present work
periodically in the class as well as complete their design project
Teaching Team:
Professor
Robert Sutton
Associate
Consulting Professor Perry Klebahn
Associate
Consulting Professor Michael Dearing
Instructor Liz Gerber, PhD Candidate
d.school Fellow Alex Ko
3-4 Units
Class Location: Birch
Time:
Class
- 3:15PM-6:15PM Thursdays
Lab
Session – 5:15-6:15pm Mondays (as scheduled)
Class Size: 24
Prerequisites: Masters standing
and permission of instructor
If you want to be notified about
the application process, click here and then click on the “contact us” link.
http://www.stanford.edu/group/dschool/participate/program_information.html
That first part: 'The first will be on improving the “theme park” experience for customers as an introduction to design thinking and methods' reminds me of the Wal-Mart in my hometown (Baytown, TX). At the time it opened, it was the largest of it's kind (so the story goes). For a while, they employed a parking lot train, like the ones used at stadiums and theme parks to shuttle people to the main gate. It was big enough to warrant one and it brought an air of junior high elation to what was once a dreary shopping experience.
Posted by: Steve Bishop | September 12, 2006 at 09:59 PM
I would definitely want to take this class if I weren't still an undergrad. Oh well. I'll have to live and learn vicariously via your blog (and through Liz). So here are the things I am most interested to hear about from the course. Consider it a reader's wishlist:
Are there students who aren't used to design thinking, and how are they responding to the class?
What "great ideas" failed (miserably)? What were the learned lessons?
Does the interdisciplinary nature of teams become obvious? In what ways? Do you "teach" how to work in those kind of teams directly?
What was fun? The theme park has to have at least one thing!
--Troy
P.S. Pardon my ignorance, but where does the name "Clicks-n-Bricks" come from?
Posted by: Troy Steinmetz | September 02, 2006 at 07:29 PM