Design Projects
These design tasks can be adapted to work in a variety of classes. Notice that each task may not describe a whole design process, so you'll want to scaffold that in your project description.
- Asking questions: to build empathy; working to understand the needs and perspectives of other people
- Imagining options: research and brainstorming a ton of options
- Planning & creating prototypes: to gain needed information quickly
- Improving iteratively: testing the prototype to get feedback about it's effectiveness, usability, or function
Project |
Description of Task |
Magazine for Teens |
Design a magazine targeted at teenagers that focuses on issues related to X. Consider your target audience and the key topics related to this issue. Use a design process to develop and describe both your design strategy (the aesthetic qualities and voice of the magazine) and your content strategy (what type of stories you'll feature). |
Historical Artifact |
Research a historical figure and the people of their time. Work to understand their perspective, motivations, and goals. Use a design process to create an artifact (an item) that they could have been found in their possession at a given time. The artifact should be a clue that communicate something about the persons motivations or goals at the time. |
Design a Better X |
Study your product and interview other users to understand the flaws with the design. Use a design process to imagine alternatives, prototype possible improvements, and test the improvements with your users to determine which option is the most viable. Your final product should be a high-fidelity prototype that you can present to the "shark tank". |
Design Rubric
If you choose to assess any elements of the process or product, consider borrowing from the rubric bank below.
Standard |
Criteria Statements |
Process (the use of an iterative design process) |
Your use of a design process is apparent in your product. You have documentation of your process, reflections, and justifications for your decisions. |
Craftsmanship (the quality of the design and product) |
Your product shows a purposeful and appropriate use of materials and a solid application of appropriate techniques. |
Challenge (evidence of going above-and-beyond the specific task) |
Your product has a sense of personal style, visual impact or emotional reaction. Your product is inventive or unexpected. It is clear that you challenged yourself. |
Purpose (meeting the learning goals of the project) |
Your product effectively communicates the information required for this task. The presentation of information is neat and tidy, so that it can be clearly understood. There are few random or distracting elements. |