1. Galloping into the Unknown: Utilizing Design Thinking to Reimagine Instruction, Collaboration, and Innovation
#loex17gallop
Stefanie Metko, Lisa Becksford, and Patrick Tomlin
University Libraries, Virginia Tech

2. After this session you will:
Know what design thinking is and how it applies to library instruction
Understand how design thinking cultivates a culture that embraces collaboration, innovation and new mindsets within academic libraries
Reflect on how case study examples can be adapted and applied within your institution

3. What is design thinking?
Originated at Stanford University’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school); “Human-centered approach to innovation” (IDEO, 2016)

4. Why design thinking at Virginia Tech?
An effective mindset for harnessing change: organizational (reorganization) and campus-wide (new administration & new strategic directions)
Encourages experimentation and iteration
Keeps users front and center
Creates a common vocabulary and shared framework for innovation - builds team

5. LIbrary Instruction as a Mixtape
Case Study 1:
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LIbrary Instruction as a Mixtape

6. Library Instruction as a mixtape

7. UNDERSTANDING your instruction team

8. EXPERIMENT and IDEATE mixtapes
Website: Odyssey.lib.vt.edu

11. Case Study 2
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Project Spaces

12. Student project spaces
Design Thinking applied to technology and research spaces
User-centered service model design
Guided by environmental scan
Early focus on problem-solving
Can we “fail early to succeed sooner?”

13. 3D Design Studio
Experiential learning focus
Low barrier to entry--no previous experience needed
Free to use
Community building

14. Empathy maps for insight into user needs and devising workflows.

16. Pixar
Google

18. A prototype space designed for prototyping.

19. Inspired by start-up incubators, d. school
A space where interdisciplinary “creative collisions” can occur
Studio manager facilitates connections across campus and between groups
Co-curricular workshops, speakers, and showcases

20. Case Study 3
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Faculty Design Spaces

21. Learning Design Studio
Learning Design Studio: a collaborative, faculty-centered space to create learning objects
Technology - software, cameras, recording booth

23. Empathize/Define: Needs assessment revealed need to create content for online learning (broadly defined) and space to create that content
Ideate: Design new service model within larger online learning program development
Prototype: Trying new approaches in the space
Test: Sometimes failing; continuous improvement
Initial discomfort with prototyping and risk of failure
Required a new mindset towards developing spaces as well as developing teams

24. Bringing it all together
Failures can lead to success
Examples highlight the value in embracing a design thinking mindset (productive failures + perseverance = success)
Future plans
Mindset shift is one of the most important legacies of the use of design thinking in our division

25. Reflection
How do you think you could use design thinking for instruction, collaboration or innovation at your library?

26. Questions?
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27. References
Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford (2017). Put design thinking
to work. Retrieved from
chart-a-new-course-put-design-thinking-to-work
Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford (2017). Our point of view.
Retrieved from
IDEO (2013). Design thinking for educators. Retrieved from
IDEO (2015). Design thinking for libraries: A toolkit for patron-centered
design. Retrieved from
IDEO (2016) Design thinking - IDEO U. Retrieved from
pages/design-thinking

28. Credits
Special thanks to all the people who made and released these awesome resources for free:
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