The DEEPed Concept...a little more fleshed out.

I figured after my last "I'm Seeking a New Playground..."  post, I need to throw something up that is more DEEP design thinking related :).   In my attempt to articulate the depth and breadth of DEEP design thinking I want to share another aspect to DEEPdt.  Six years ago when I created and designed DEEP design thinking, I never imagined how much impact, value, and reach this methodology and mindset approach would have to offer. Yet, alone to have so much more layers to continuously iterate, create, and build into an already rich concept (IMO). I posted DEEPdt on Steroids: DEEP, DEEPr, & DEEPed a few weeks ago.  I would like to take a few moments to talk about the concept of DEEPed.

The best way to learn design thinking in my opinion is to learn by doing. Go and tackle a design challenge and apply a dt process to it- always being mindful of the User and staying in an empathetic posture. I spent the first year of infusing DEEP design thinking into the spaces through teaching (not once had I sat on the side of design thinking as a designer: a DOer).  Now I can argue that each challenge I tackled, I tackled through the lens of a designer with an empathetic posture. However it wasn't until I was removed from my own backyard (MV) and sat in the designer seat to go through a challenge did things finally click for me... And after my second year, I took a trip to the motherland aka Stanford's d.School in the summer of 2011 where we designed for two challenges: Campus Safety & Health Care Experience. It was an immersive and completely learn by collaboratively doing (very little direct instruction). In my last six years I have had ample opportunity to sit in the designer chair, user chair, facilitator chair, educator chair, etc all around design thinking. And all of these lenses have value and meaningful connectors to help me grow my practice and craft of DEEP design thinking... Yet, as much as you can DO to learn design thinking, I feel the need to unpack & synthesize the methodologies and pedagogy approaches of DT invaluable and necessary as an educator.  

• How do I use this approach with my students?  
• How do I identify and draw out the skills demonstrated throughout the process?
• What does assessment look like and how in the world do I translate it into a "grade"?
• What are the nuts and bolts needed to get started?
• How can I facilitate professional learning moments for my colleagues? 
• What does rapid prototyping and iterating look like? 
• How do I conduct an interview?  Are interviews the only way to needfind?
• I have learning outcomes/ Common Core: how can I connect this approach to them?
• How can I approach my unit creation through a User-center posture?

DEEPed is the learning of the methodology of DEEP and yes even plain 'ole design thinking.  It is the learning of what design thinking is all about, the how to teach it, facilitate it, and how to learn more about the different parts, aspects, and approaches in a less process and more parts like fashion.  It is about developing and growing the lens of your pedagogy. It's the What, How, & always the Why of design thinking. Inspired by EdCamp, BarCamp, Foo Camp and the Unconference styles of late, DEEPed strives to be a yes, and to these concepts. I love the idea of user-driven design "unconferences" as their power walks through the door and truly engages without the pretense of a just "sit & get" experience. I like the idea of User Choice, Creation, and Drivers of sessions. For DEEPed there will be an offering of some suggested topics in play to be grabbed by Users and thrown on the board.  I wonder if there is a way to have space available on the board on the actual day of DEEPed yet also have USERs populate the board before arrival?  DEEPed will also include in its format the long awaited in the wings Inside the Learner's Studio. One other aspect to DEEPed that is still churning in my head, is DEEPed will be a POP-Up style experience so as to not create planning & logistic fatigue... As this concept is further developed, I believe I need to do more needfinding.  #DTk12chat is a great space to crowdsource this concept yet I think more needs to be done to connect with those not in this space yet... More fleshing out to come later. As a design thinker, I am comfortable with unleashing a rough around the edges concept so as to learn, collect feedback, and iterate along the way. Some may call me a rare-breed, I just call myself a learner not afraid to demonstrate & share my learning in real time. 

In June, Mount Vernon is having it's annual FUSE conference and there is a 90 min space where we are looking to add a DEEPed unconference within FUSE. I wondered if there was a way to connect DEEPed with EdCamps... In tweeting back and forth with Hadley Ferguson, Executive Director of the Edcamp Foundation (and so much more) about what makes something an edcamp an edcamp, I got the following exchange & an added bonus of Daniel Scibienski.  For FUSE, there will not be a connection as an edcamp-style DEEPed due to some technicalities. Yet, DEEPed is truly a riff and design based off the years of sweat, blood, and tears of all the EdCampers throughout the world... I believe one of the powers of EdCamp is their design being User-Centered.  Not sure if anyone has made this observation, but EdCamps are an outcome of an approach to learning that designs around the User (not for the User), a true design thinking case study IMO.