Strategic Design Capstone 2 External Partner Studio Description
In this studio course, students work with their section’s assigned industry partner to solve for a
predetermined brief. Working in an iterative, sprint-based manner, the students work in teams to
apply the end-to-end strategic design process and thereby develop solutions for organizational,
civic, social, environmental, technological, and/or economic challenges.
Within the context of the studio, students gain the opportunity to grapple with the complexities of
working with a “real world” external partner, understand a problem and solution space, engage and
listen to stakeholders so as to drive true human-centered design, and finally experience first-hand
the inherent value a design process delivers to complex challenges.
Course activities will be centered around a design brief provided by the partner in consultation with
the section faculty. Students will work in teams to uncover insights and design solutions. Students
will bring their diverse backgrounds and collective perspectives to solve complex problems,
leveraging individual skills and gaining practice in effective collaboration.
At the end of the course, student teams present their findings and proposals to colleagues, experts,
and partner representatives.
Learning Outcomes
This course prepares and enables students to:
● Work collaboratively, creatively, and effectively to manage a project with an external partner,
maintaining communications, timely achievement of milestones, and leveraging the various
skill sets of peers.
● Reframe a complex brief into a series of discrete, manageable tasks for teams.
● Conduct qualitative and quantitative design innovation research, transforming insights into
innovation opportunities with economic, social, cultural, and environmental value.
● Develop and test multiple strategic prototypes using diverse lenses: scale, scope, structure,
economy, societal value, or other filters.
● Incorporate feedback from diverse stakeholders to define and prioritize the attributes of
proposed products, services, processes, and customer segments.