From Idea to Concept: Student Experience Participatory Design Studio

Katherine Hypolite
October 18, 2011

In the spring of 2011, the Business Innovation Factory’s (BIF) Student Experience Lab and Utah State University (USU) conducted a unique experience to put students in the driver’s seat of a new kind of student-led R&D to transform education. Using a collaborative approach, 15 undergraduate students - ranging from freshman to graduating seniors - took part in a “design studio” to develop fresh new ideas to help USU and its students better track and communicate the competencies and capabilities students acquire during their education experience. Ultimately, the goal of the studio was to find fresh, new approaches to supporting student success and timely and appropriate progress toward degree completion.

From the initial planning stages, the students knew their voice, their research and their ideas had merit. While the students learned the principles of design thinking they were tasked with applying them in real time. The students have been continuously focused on improving the quality of student services, never losing sight that their hours of ideation and research would culminate in a deliverable interactive model.

Below is a video that will catch you up with the first phase of the student's work from last semester. Over the next few week's we'll share more about what it's like for students to play an active role in the design process. A true transformational journey is inclusive and transparent. We’re thrilled to have our community help put students at the center of the transformation conversation. For more information on our Participatory Design Studio, visit our website. We love feedback, so post at will!