Creativity, Mindset, and Capacity Building: Developing a New Generation of Design Thinkers View Digital Media

Workshop Presentation
Briony Supple,  Fiona Chambers,  Sharon Jones  

The Postgraduate Diploma in Innovation through Design Thinking is a fully online programme taught across the Schools of Education and Business, University College Cork, Ireland. Running since 2020, this government funded programme amplifies a D3 model of innovation praxis (design, digital and data fluencies, as developed by the program designers Chambers and Sammon). The programme empowers a new generation of design thinkers working across the trisector (e.g., financial services, technology, education, retail, pharma, non-governmental agencies, local authorities, entrepreneurship, and health, etc.). Our USP for this programme centres on its pedagogical approach. Design thinking is sometimes perceived as a ‘cookie cutter’ approach to innovation. We debunk this misconception by encouraging students to 1) consciously develop and continuously reflect on their development of a growth mindset through reflexive cycles, 2) engage creatively as problem finders and ‘design doers’ using a range of methods e.g., our integrated Artists in Residence and, 3) build design thinking capacity and creative confidence, e.g., using Lego Serious Play. Facilitated by three educators from the programme, this workshop brings delegates through the programme journey from an overview of the inception to the development and delivery of the programme. The workshop focuses on our underpinning philosophies using practice-based case studies. These are interwoven with student voices of self-discovery and personal transformation through compelling individual design thinking journeys. The workshop includes various hands-on, experimental, and materials-led opportunities for participation and open discussion to encourage delegates to ‘think with their hands’.