Empathize
Students will investigate how Asian American and Pacific Islander communities have shaped California by conducting firsthand interviews, analyzing primary sources, and creating empathy maps grounded in real user evidence. They will surface and challenge assumptions about how AAPI history is understood, document insights from at least two real people, and prepare research artifacts that will inform a clear, user-centered problem statement in the next phase.
Days 1 - 3
Define
Students will synthesize interview notes and empathy maps to identify patterns across AAPI community stories, define a clear user-centered problem grounded in evidence, and craft a focused "How Might We" statement that will guide their solution design in the next phase.
Days 4 - 6
Ideate
Students will generate a wide range of design ideas grounded in real user research, evaluate them using evidence from interviews and empathy maps, and create annotated concept sketches that will guide prototyping in the next phase.
Days 7 - 10
Prototype
Students will build and refine low- and medium-fidelity prototypes for their AAPI Story Designer Portfolios and Timeline Walk installations, test them with real users, and document how feedback leads to meaningful revisions grounded in user evidence.
Days 11 - 15
Test/Present
Students will validate their AAPI Story Designer Portfolios and team Timeline Walk & Interactive Map with new users, refine their work based on documented feedback, and present their full design journey at the 'AAPI Voices' community exhibition, tracing decisions back to interview evidence and iteration logs.
Days 16 - 20