How to create a Design Challenge for your students The framing of a Design Challenge sets the stage for students to explore characters and needs within a situation. It does not constrain them to one problem (character + need) to solve nor leave it too broad List situations your students find interesting… Imagine your students faced with this challenge. Within the situation are there… Write 3 versions of a statement that captures a situation Ex. Going to a concert Use the scaffolds below to help Redesign the (situation) experience Design a way for (specific group of people to better (situation) Multiple Characters Multiple Needs Similarities between Characters Similarities between Needs If no, make 2 more broad If no, make 2 more narrow 1 3 2

How to create a Design Challenge for your students The framing of a Design Challenge sets the stage for students to explore characters and needs within a situation. It does not constrain them to one problem to solve nor leave it too broad Here are some examples… Imagine your students faced with this challenge. Within the situation are there… Write 3 versions of a statement that captures a situation Redesign a way for handicapped people to better experience a concert Design a way to utilize cell phones in school Design a way for people to overcome boundaries How might we reduce the amount of waste we send to landfills Use the scaffolds below to help Redesign the (situation) experience Design a way for (specific group of people) to better (situation) How might we (achieve some goal) Multiple Characters Multiple Needs Similarities between Characters Similarities between Needs If no, make 2 more broad If no, make 2 more narrow 1 3 2

How to frame a Design Challenge for your students The framing of a Design Challenge sets the stage for students to explore characters and problems within a situation. The best framing does not constrain them to one problem to solve nor leave it too broad that they have trouble finding tangible problems. Imagine your students faced with this challenge. Within the situation are there… Chose a setting and write 3 versions of a statement that captures a situation. Use the scaffolds below to help. Redesign the (situation) experience. Design a way for (specific group of people) to better (situation). How might we help (achieve some goal) ? Redesign a way for handicapped people to better experience a concert Design a way to utilize cell phones in school Design a way for people to overcome boundaries How might we reduce the amount of waste we send to landfills Redesign the (situation) experience Design a way for (specific group of people) to better (situation) How might we (achieve some goal) Multiple Characters Multiple Needs Similarities between Characters Similarities between Needs If no, make 2 more broad If no, make 2 more narrow SettingsCharactersPotential Problems Ex. A local parkKids who play there Parents Animals (wild and domesticated) Local proprietors Litter Habitat disruption Park financial viability Recreation Safety List Settings that are both interesting to your students and have the potential to embed curricular content. Each setting should have between 3 and 6 potential Characters and at least 4 Potential Problems. It is common during the course of the Design Challenge for students to discover unanticipated problems. Ex. How might we keep the park clean Design a way for people at the park to better support native animal life

How to frame a Design Challenge for your students The framing of a Design Challenge sets the stage for students to explore characters and problems within a situation. It does not constrain them to one problem to solve nor leave it too broad that they have trouble finding tangible problems Imagine your students faced with this challenge. Within the situation are there… Chose a setting and write 3 versions of a statement that captures a situation. Use the scaffold below to help. Redesign a way for handicapped people to better experience a concert Design a way to utilize cell phones in school Design a way for people to overcome boundaries How might we reduce the amount of waste we send to landfills Redesign the (situation) experience Design a way for (specific group of people) to better (situation) How might we (achieve some goal) Multiple Characters Multiple Needs Similarities between Characters Similarities between Needs If no, make 2 more broad If no, make 2 more narrow SettingsCharactersPotential Problems Ex. A beach with a science station and off shore oil platform Scientists Beach goers Oil workers Animals Litter Habitat displacement Oil spills Recreation Safety List Settings that are both interesting to your students and have the potential to embed curricular content. Each setting should have between 3 and 6 potential Characters and 4 Potential Problems. A properly framed Design Challenge allows students to discover more problems. Ex. How might we keep the beach clean How might we better support marine animal life How might we (achieve some goal in the setting)

How to frame a Design Challenge for your students The framing of a Design Challenge sets the stage for students to explore characters and problems within a situation. The best framing does not constrain them to one problem to solve nor leave it too broad that they have trouble finding tangible problems. This two page worksheet is designed to guide you through 2 or more rapid iterations of creating a Design Challenge. So don’t worry about getting it right the first time. 1 SettingsCharactersPotential Problems Ex. A local parkKids who play there Parents Animals (wild and domesticated) Local proprietors Litter Habitat disruption Park financial viability Recreation Safety List Settings that are both interesting to your students and have the potential to embed curricular content. Each setting should have between 3 and 6 potential Characters and at least 4 Potential Problems. It is common during the course of the Design Challenge for students to discover unanticipated problems.

Pick on of the statements you generated. Imagine your students faced with this challenge. Within the situation are there… Multiple Characters Multiple Problems Similarities between Characters Similarities between Problems If not, go back to step 2 and make the statement more broad. If not, go back to step 2 and make the statement more narrow. 3 Chose a setting and write 3 versions of a statement that captures a situation. Use the scaffolds below to help. Redesign the (situation) experience. Design a way for (specific group of people) to better (situation). How might we help (achieve some goal) ? Ex. How might we keep the park clean Design a way for people at the park to better support native animal life 2 Ex. How might we keep the park clean Design a way for people at the park to better support native animal life Multiple Needs of the Characters Similarities between Problems