1. Orienting & Framing

Innovator Studio . DT Methods . 22 min Primer

Before starting with empathy, it’s important to first frame your project as a design challenge, rather than as a typical business initiative. Here’s how.

Story

This Primer includes a Brand Innovation story to help illuminate the importance of framing projects in a human-centered way.

Activity

Review how your project is currently framed and work to rephrase it as a human-centered design challenge. Jot down the issues and challenges as you currently understand them, any ideas you have or have been given, and then create a stakeholder (pre-empathy) map of who’s involved and impacted.

Remember, if you’re stuck, try starting with the stakeholder map to help choose who you might design for, then return to framing your project design-thinking-style.

Resources

• The DT Framing Kit has all the worksheets you’ll need.

• And if you’re using a DT Dojo Design Project MURAL (template), these resources are embedded there as well, with instructions.