Having completed the final phase of the design thinking process, it’s time to reflect and consider what I learned through the experience. To frame this blog post, I will consider the following questions that were suggested by our Instructor:
What was the most surprising thing that I learned by participating in the design thinking process and designing and developing your digital learning resource (DLR)?
Having experienced the design thinking process both as a learner in a previous MALAT course (LRNT 524), and as a participant at a conference earlier this year, what struck me as valuable about the process is that it helps designers to prioritize input from their intended audience. Sounds so obvious, but the process effectively guides the work. I enjoyed participating in the empathy phase during the design of my DLR. By experiencing prototype development with actual learners, I found that I did not know my intended audience as well as I thought I did. It was meaningful to share the experience with the learners, peers and my Instructor, as I was able to incorporate perspectives other than my own. I look forward to sharing the prototype with my team at work to learn their ideas on how the next iteration can be improved.
What suggestions and improvements did I receive? Did I get any feedback that I did not expect? What feedback needs further investigation?
My program peers and Instructor provided me with actionable feedback that I can use to ideate an improved versions of digital learning resources that I develop in the future. Specifically, it was recommended that I am more mindful of the pace of the videos I create. By slowing videos down and by aligning voice-overs with content, I may help to decrease learner cognitive load. I was pleased to learn that my attempt at scaffolding learning was effective, and will incorporate the suggestion to include a list of frequently asked questions from the in-person sessions to my next iteration. One piece of feedback that I will need to explore a solution around is reducing the number of links that I provide, as they direct the learner outside of the learning environment and may act to reduce motivation and increase cognitive load.
What are the next steps I will like to take to build upon my digital learning resource?
I am looking forward to including the suggested improvements to my next iteration. Feedback from both my peers and Instructor included that I flesh out the in-person sessions. These sessions are meant to provide the learners with an opportunity to network and share ideas, but I am intrigued by the idea of including a technology-supported option. Doing so may help to engage those learners who are located remotely, so that they benefit from the learning opportunities. Perhaps incorporating a live conversation-shaping technology solution, such as Pigeonhole Live, in concert with a webinar component could work.
How might I utilize the design thinking process for the design and creation of digital learning resources in the future, or for other tasks that you may encounter within your instructional context?
Moving forward, I will continue to embrace the design thinking process when creating digital learning resources. I can also see benefits from using this approach with a team when planning to execute change in the workplace, especially the empathy and ideate phases. By actively encouraging the viewpoints of all stakeholders, through leveraging a design thinking process, I may allow the team to ideate creative solutions for the challenges we face, thereby engaging them in a shared vision of success.
Thank you to my Instructor, peers and collaborators on this project!