ME 10AX


design thinking


and the Art of Innovation Bill Burnett & Staff of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford


This seminar will introduce students to techniques that designers use to create highly innovative solutions to wicked problems that cross domains. The project based class will emphasize approaches to problem identification and problem solving along with a survey of tools such as need finding, structured brainstorming, synthesis, rapid prototyping, and visual communication. The class will include field trips to a local design firm, a robotics lab, and a prototyping lab. A secondary goal of the seminar is to introduce students to the pleasures of creative design and hands-on development of tangible solutions. Design has a unique approach to looking at both the problem domain and the solution domain in issues where technology, social issues, human behavior, and business need’s overlap.


Bill Burnett is a consulting assistant professor and the executive director of Stanford’s innovative Product Design Program. One of the earliest interdepartmental majors, this undergraduate and graduate


degree program combines curriculum from the departments of Mechanical Engineering and Art to produce human-centered, values- driven designers. A graduate of the program, Bill has designed a wide range of products, from award-winning Apple PowerBooks to the original Star Wars action figures. He holds a number of mechanical and design patents and awards for a variety of products including the first slate computer. Bill’s research and teaching are focused on enhancing human creativity and technology innovation. More.


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