The fundamental purpose of this assignment is to provide you an opportunity to apply the
concepts from this class to a real design thinking opportunity. For this assignment, you’ll
select a challenge from the social sector and:
Identify the qualities of the challenge that suggest it's well suited for the design thinking
problem-solving approach using guiding questions
Create a stakeholder map for your challenge
Develop a preliminary research plan by identifying two tools you could use to gather
information about your project. For each tool, provide (a) a short summary of the tool, and (b)
how you think it will help you carry out your project.
See the assignment itself for an in-depth explanation of the assignment. The Assignment Rubric in
the following reading describes how this assignment will be assessed and may be useful to review
before you develop your assignment.
Please submit all assignments in English as a PDF. If needed, you may change the name of the
organization you are considering for confidentiality purposes.
Design thinking is appropriate Linear analytic methods may
Question
if... be better if...
Deep understanding of the actual There are few human beings
Is the problem
people (users) involved is both involved in the problem or the
human-centered?
possible and important solution
We have a hunch about the
How clearly do you We understand the problem
problem and/or opportunity, but
understand the clearly and are sure we’re solving
we need to explore and get
problem itself? the right one
agreement
There are many unknowns (large
What’s the level of The past is a good predictor of
and small), and past data is
uncertainty? the future
unlikely to help us
What’s the degree of There are many connecting and The path to solving the problem is
complexity? interdependent facets of the clear, and analytic methods have
problem; it’s hard to know where succeeded in solving similar
to start problems in the past
What data is already There is very little relevant There are several clear sources
available to you? existing data to analyze of analogous data
What’s your level of I’m excited to explore more and The problem feels routine to me,
curiosity and can get a group of people willing and I have to follow existing
influence? to help me processes and systems
Criteria:
Elements Criteria Score
Identifying an Addresses all six questions from the Identify an Opportunity
5
Opportunity template
Addresses five questions from the Identify an Opportunity
4
template
Addresses four questions from the Identify an Opportunity
3
template
Addresses three or fewer questions from the Identify an
0
Opportunity template
Identifies a broad range of stakeholders associated with identified
Stakeholder
challenge. Stakeholders are grouped by named relationship. 5
Map
Where possible, connections among the groups are identified.
Identifies stakeholders associated with identified challenge. Some
4
are grouped. Some connections are identified.
Identifies stakeholders associated with identified challenge 3
Did not provide a stakeholder map 0
Identifies two tools, provides a short summary of each tool and
Design Tools 5
description of its value to the project.
Identifies one tool, provides a short summary of that tool and a
4
description of its value to the project.
Provides incomplete information about one or more tools. 3
Does not provide information about design tools. 0