How can design thinking be used to bring together an online community through the articulation of a specific online experience?

As a first step in understanding the implications of this inquiry, concept maps were developed to illustrate, showcase and connect information related to a chosen demographic; in this case, sophomore graphic design students learning software. The concept maps, structurally grounded in the work of Hugh Dubberly, Joseph Novak and D. Bob Gowin, were used as information aids to the decision making required in the design process.

Animated prototypes were used as working study models; each addressing specific and targeted aspects of the larger problem. Content structures and an adequate information architecture were tested, tweaked and developed through constant iterations. Simultaneously, the formal language was measured and developed as a response to the needs, wants and functional requirements of the audience in question.

Interactive system behaviors were seen as catalysts for specific human behaviors, thus used to improve a user’s relationship with the developing infrastructure. Iterations led to the synthesis of ideas into one last prototype which facilitated the collaboration between a student and a teacher or peer in an asynchronous manner.

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PROJECT CREDITS _ NC State Graduate Design Studio: Spring 2008 Prof. Meredith Davis