Designing Environmental Solutions
It’s time to disrupt the way we view conservation, and the solutions possible. Conservationists can be technology leaders—and, in fact, they need to be tech leaders to tackle the growing sophistication of threats to nature.
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Course Content
Total content: 42 activities
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Lesson 1: Designing for Humans
How do I understand the needs of those involved with my challenge, in order to design solutions they’ll love?
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Introduction ViewActivity1.1
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Designing Environmental Solutions ViewActivity1.2
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Spectrum Activity ViewActivity1.3
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Types of Innovation ViewActivity1.4
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Introduction to Design Thinking ViewActivity1.5
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The design journey in practice: LobsterLift ViewActivity1.6
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Risks & Critiques of Design Thinking ViewActivity1.7
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Who are you designing for? ViewActivity1.8
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Tips for Conducting interviews ViewActivity1.9
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Interviews Regarding Sensitive Topics ViewActivity1.10
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Interview Practice ViewActivity1.11
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Assignment, Part 1: User Research Pack ViewActivity1.12
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Assignment, Part 2: Write a Problem Brief ViewActivity1.13
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Lesson 2: Generating New Ideas
How do I come up with innovative ideas for environmental solutions?
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Introduction ViewActivity2.1
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Where do good ideas come from? ViewActivity2.2
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Brainstorming Done Right ViewActivity2.3
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The rules of brainstorming ViewActivity2.4
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Bad Idea Brainstorm ViewActivity2.5
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Crafting a “How might we” statement ViewActivity2.6
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Try it: Brainstorm ViewActivity2.7
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Other ideation methods and inspiration sources ViewActivity2.8
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Tips for converging ViewActivity2.9
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Lenses for evaluating ideas ViewActivity2.10
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Converge ViewActivity2.11
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Lead a Second Ideation Session ViewActivity2.12
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Lesson 3: Prototyping and Iteration
How do I prototype, test, and iterate an environmental solution?
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Introduction ViewActivity3.1
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Make It ViewActivity3.2
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Crazy 8’s ViewActivity3.3
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Introduction to Prototyping ViewActivity3.4
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Painless Failure ViewActivity3.5
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Types of Early Prototypes ViewActivity3.6
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Build a First Prototype ViewActivity3.7
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Tips for Testing Prototypes ViewActivity3.8
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Prototype Feedback ViewActivity3.9
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Prototyping Roadmap ViewActivity3.10
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Assignment: Prototype Iteration & Capture ViewActivity3.11
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Explore More
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Lesson 1: Additional Resources ViewActivity4.1
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Lesson 1: Extra Resources for Educators ViewActivity4.2
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Lesson 2: Additional Resources ViewActivity4.3
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Lesson 3: Additional Resources ViewActivity4.4
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Lesson 3: Extra Resources for Educators ViewActivity4.5
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General Resources ViewActivity4.6
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Prototyping Roadmap
Imagine prototypes at different levels of fidelity (and find cheaper, quicker ways of testing). Be intentional about using different prototypes to answer different questions.
You can also access the editable version of this activity here.
Prototyping Roadmap:
- Discuss the feedback you’ve gotten and how you’ll incorporate it. What changes are needed?
- What are the biggest questions you’re still sitting with, and what might you build to test them?
- What would you build with a $50 budget?
- What would you build with a $500 budget?
- What would you build with a $5,000 budget?
- Imagine a “dark horse” prototype that would intentionally fail to learn the limits of your idea. What would you build?
- Critique in pairs: are there ways to hack these prototypes and build them for 1/10th the price? 1/100th the price? What might you borrow from other industries, tools, etc.? (e.g. could you build a WhatsApp group to prototype an app or social network? How might you hack a wizard-of-oz prototype?)