Announcing our Aspen Institute Tech Policy Hub Challenge Grant
We're delighted to announce an important and timely project to help museums, libraries, and performing arts organizations work more directly with their communities during the Covid-19 crisis, funded by the Aspen Tech Policy Hub.
Evolving the design thinking framework towards greater equity: an interview with Tania Anaissie of Beytna Design
This month we spoke with Tania Anaissie of Beytna Design about Liberatory Design, which expands upon the traditional design thinking framework to create greater equity for those most impacted by oppressive systems.
Five emerging trends in design thinking for 2020
As we enter 2020, here are some emerging themes in the human-centered design landscape. From a "back-to-basics" focus on the fundamental mindsets and skills to a growing awareness of the role of equity in design, here are some trends to watch in the next decade.
Why bad ideas lead to good ideas: using “reverse thinking” in a design sprint at the National Gallery of Art
Imagining the worst way to solve a problem can actually help you solve the problem. Learn how we used a bad ideas brainstorm In a four-day design sprint at the National Gallery of Art to arrive at good solutions.
Design sprints for visitor experience advocacy: 5 lessons from the British Museum
This is the second in a two-part series about running design sprints in museums. This post examines how the British Museum is experimenting with design sprints in the Product Development Group.
What museums can learn from improv: three principles to make museums more human-centered and empathetic
In improvisational theater, there are some shared principles that the improvisers work from. These principles create a positive and supportive platform upon which the improvisers, or "players," can do their best work. What if the principles that allow improvisers to thrive and excel could be applied to museums? In this post, I consider three principles from improv theater and share my thoughts on how incorporating these principles into museum practice could make museums more human-centered and empathetic institutions.
How to write a cultural equity statement as a framing tool for design thinking
A cultural equity statement is a starting point for museums striving to improve and evolve service to their communities. In this post, Sarah Minegar of the National Park Service provides practical advice for steering organizations toward justice, equity, and inclusivity.
Design thinking for equity in a national park: an interview with Sarah Minegar of the Morristown National Historical Park
This month I interviewed Sarah Minegar of the Morristown National Historical Park Museum & Library. We talked about the challenges of bringing design thinking into a National Park, adopting an audience-centered dialogue, and how design thinking can create more equitable spaces.
This is How a Museum Uses Creativity & Collaboration to Reach 200M Annually
In this interview originally published by IDEO U, Chris Flink, executive director of the Exploratorium, talks about how the museum cultivates creativity with visitors, the broader community, and within the organization.
A design thinker in residence: an interview with Henry Trejo of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Henry Trejo is the design thinker in residence at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Fayetteville, Arkansas. In his role, Henry advocates for visitors and works to make the museum welcoming and inclusive.
The #FutureMuseum Project: Experience-Driven and People-Centered
The #FutureMuseum Project invites professionals from around the world to share their ideas about the future of museums. My view is that the museum of the future will be more visitor- and guest-centered than ever before in the history of museums and cultural institutions.
Minimizing the Einstellung Effect in Design Thinking: How to Arrive at Innovative Solutions by Diminishing Cognitive Bias
The Einstellung Effect—when preexisting knowledge or experience prevents us from considering alternative possibilities to a problem—can seriously impede a team’s innovation capacity. Here are some small steps to mitigate its effects.
Why every organization needs a human-centered design hallway: lessons from the Akron-Summit County Public Library
In an interview with Jennifer Stencel of the Akron-Summit County Public library, I learned how a scrappy, makeshift space is transforming the library from the inside out, making it a more human-centered place for the community.
Quick wins for building empathy with visitors: 4 hacks inspired by School Retool
Museum professionals are the "designers" of the visitor experience, and the key to developing an engaging and human-centered experience is understanding the people for whom you are designing. These quick wins, adapted from the School Retool fellowship, are things you can do next week to build deeper empathy for visitors.
How a small arts organization on Vancouver Island is dreaming big with design thinking: an interview with the Nanaimo Art Gallery
How can small arts organizations with limited budgets and lean teams leverage the power of design thinking? Learn how the Nanaimo Art Gallery on Vancouver Island is using design thinking in this interview.
Five mistakes of beginning design thinkers (and how to overcome them)
I’ve observed a set of common errors that practitioners new to design thinking often make when implementing the process. By leveraging the learnings of others, you can more successfully champion, utilize, and apply design thinking.
Join the conversation about design thinking and design sprints in museums
Are you curious to hear from other practitioners who are dipping their toes into the waters of design thinking and human-centered design? We've launched a new LinkedIn group and have started a Twitter hashtag for professionals to share stories, ask questions, and join the conversation.
How the Computer History Museum is using human-centered design to develop a new education center
The Computer History Museum, in collaboration with the design firm IDEO, is using human-centered design methods to research the needs of local communities, generate creative concepts, and build consensus for a new Education Center opening in fall 2017.
Making the Workplace We Want: 4 Lessons from the Getty
What small strategies can you use to create the workplace you want? This story outlines how staff at the Getty are leveraging human-centered design practices to increase internal digital literacy and build a more joyful and human-centered culture.
Why play is essential to the design thinking process
Play is essential for innovation, creativity, and collaboration, and the most successful design thinkers are the ones who embrace the notion of play. In this post, I share five reasons play is critical to design thinking.
Using improv games for brainstorming and embracing failure: part 2 of 3
This is the second of three posts in which I’ll share some of my favorite improv games to use with teams […]
How to write a cultural equity statement as a framing tool for design thinking
A cultural equity statement is a starting point for museums striving to improve and evolve service to their communities. In this post, Sarah Minegar of the National Park Service provides practical advice for steering organizations toward justice, equity, and inclusivity.
Why bad ideas lead to good ideas: using “reverse thinking” in a design sprint at the National Gallery of Art
Imagining the worst way to solve a problem can actually help you solve the problem. Learn how we used a bad ideas brainstorm In a four-day design sprint at the National Gallery of Art to arrive at good solutions.
Why play is essential to the design thinking process
Play is essential for innovation, creativity, and collaboration, and the most successful design thinkers are the ones who embrace the notion of play. In this post, I share five reasons play is critical to design thinking.
Using improv games to warm up for user testing and prototyping: part 3 of 3
This is the third of three posts in which I share some of my favorite improv games to use with teams who are learning and using the design thinking process. The first post covered improv games to kick-off a meeting or workshop, the second covered improv games for warming up for brainstorming and embracing failure, and this post considers improv games for warming up for user testing and prototyping.
Activating the museum with design thinking: stories from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, one of the largest encyclopedic museums in the country, began a design thinking process in 2013 to find new ways to enhance museum visitors’ experiences.
Empathy as the starting point for innovation
One of the core principles of design thinking is its focus on human values at every stage of the process. […]
Why play is essential to the design thinking process
Play is essential for innovation, creativity, and collaboration, and the most successful design thinkers are the ones who embrace the notion of play. In this post, I share five reasons play is critical to design thinking.
Design thinking at MuseumNext 2014: my five big takeaways
I recently returned from the MuseumNext conference in Newcastle, England, where I gave a talk, "From Insights to Prototypes: How Museums can Use the Design Thinking Process to Engage and Delight Visitors" and co-led a workshop titled "Designing for Happiness: Using Design Thinking to Delight Visitors." In this post, I share the five big takeaways I presented at the conference on how to integrate design thinking mindsets into museum practice.
What museums can learn from improv: three principles to make museums more human-centered and empathetic
In improvisational theater, there are some shared principles that the improvisers work from. These principles create a positive and supportive platform upon which the improvisers, or "players," can do their best work. What if the principles that allow improvisers to thrive and excel could be applied to museums? In this post, I consider three principles from improv theater and share my thoughts on how incorporating these principles into museum practice could make museums more human-centered and empathetic institutions.
Why bad ideas lead to good ideas: using “reverse thinking” in a design sprint at the National Gallery of Art
Imagining the worst way to solve a problem can actually help you solve the problem. Learn how we used a bad ideas brainstorm In a four-day design sprint at the National Gallery of Art to arrive at good solutions.
How to interview visitors for empathy
This post is adapted from internal trainings I led at SFMOMA and a paper authored for the Museums and the Web conference. The power of doing empathy work with real visitors had a major impact on the internal SFMOMA team. The mere act of moving from abstracted discussions about “the public” to interactions with real, live museum visitors was incredibly powerful.
Using improv games to foster creativity and collaboration: part 1 of 3
I’ve been taking improvisational theater classes for years, mostly because I find them energizing and extremely fun, but also because […]
Needfinding in the galleries: overcoming blind spots with direct observation
Museum professionals are faced with design decisions on an almost daily basis, from developing tour guidelines to building digital resources. In the routine of everyday work and with a lack of in-house visitor research staff, it is too easy to base design decisions solely on experience and precedent, and make choices based on assumptions and habit. But by conducting simple needfinding activities, such as direct visitor observations in the galleries, we can override our blind spots and arrive at new insights.
Design ≠ design thinking
This guest post is from Molly Clare Wilson, an experience designer and teacher in San Francisco. When we confuse “design” and “design […]