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overview
Stages
Design awareness
design for function
design with empathy
design for change
Team
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Design for Change
Step 5
Prototype, Test, & Refine

Prototype, Test, & Refine

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How can building prototypes, testing, and gathering feedback improve designs?

60 min

Outcome(s): At the end of this lesson, learners will have experience developing an initial prototype, gathering feedback from peers, and refining their designs based on feedback.


Materials:

  • Prototype, Test, & Refine Slidedeck
  • Ish by Peter Reynolds
  • Student Journals
  • Pencil for each participant


1. Launch

Objective: After an introduction to prototyping and listening to the book Ish read aloud, learners will discuss the meaning and purpose of prototypes while making connections to the main idea of the story.


2. Explore

Objective: Learners have 15 minutes to work as a team to create a sketched, written, or constructed prototype of a possible solution to the problem they chose to investigate. After working with their own teams to develop initial prototypes, and using the quality feedback tips in the slidedeck, teams will partner up to share their designs and get/give feedback on another team’s design. Finally, teams will gather back together to refine their original plans.


3. Summarize

Objective: Using prompting questions from the Prototype, Test, and Refine slidedeck, learners will discuss benefits of sharing ideas with others and gathering feedback to improve designs.

View Materials

Prototype, Test, & Refine
Slide Deck
Prototype, Test, & Refine
Slide Deck
Prototype, Test, & Refine
Journal Prompt
Prototype, Test, & Refine
Poster

Teacher Support

Educational Standards

K-2 ETS1-2 Engineering Design: Science and Engineering Practices - Developing and Using Models (i.e. diagram, drawing, physical replica, diorama, dramatization, or storyboard) that represent concrete events or design solutions. 

3-5-ETS1-2 Engineering Design: Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

3-5 ETS1.B Engineering Design Disciplinary Core Ideas: Developing Possible Solutions - communicating with peers about proposed solutions

3-5 ETS1.C Engineering Design Disciplinary Core Ideas: Optimizing the Design Solution - Different solutions need to be tested in order to determine which of them best solves the problem, given the criteria and the constraints.

Level Up Opportunities
  • Care - Are you talking about users’ needs as you develop your prototype? Can you offer important feedback to other groups in order for them to improve their designs?
  • Curious - If you don’t think something will work, can you find an alternative?
  • Courageous - Even if you have a strong feeling about your idea, can you work to incorporate the ideas of others into the solution?
  • Collaborator - Can you listen to the ideas of others? Can you make connections between your ideas and the ideas of your teammates?
  • Creative Thinker - Can you “think outside the box” when developing your prototype? Can you make interesting connections across ideas to develop something new?
  • Communicator - Can you clearly communicate your ideas to another group? Can you graciously receive feedback intended to improve your design
  • ‍Catalyst for a Better World - Does your design reflect your desire to improve something for someone?
Journal Examples