Empathize
Empathize
Students will engage directly with real playground users to understand how forces and motion impact their experiences, document evidence through interviews and observations, and create empathy maps grounded in firsthand data to inform later force diagram and design work.
Day 1
Define
Define
Students will synthesize their playground force and motion research into a clear, evidence-based problem definition. They will identify patterns across user interviews and observations, craft a focused "How Might We" statement grounded in real quotes and force diagram data, and refine it through structured peer critique before moving into ideation.
Day 2
Ideate
Ideate
Students will generate a wide range of human-centered solutions to improve motion or safety of a real playground/school object, using force diagrams and kinetic energy data to guide idea development before selecting top concepts for prototyping.
Day 3
Prototype
Prototype
Students will build, test, and refine low- to higher-fidelity prototypes of their playground force solutions, using real user feedback and investigation data to improve the accuracy of force diagrams, kinetic energy graphs, and interactive models before final presentation.
Day 4
Test/Present
Test/Present
Students will conduct a final round of user validation on their playground force prototypes, refine their force diagrams and kinetic energy graphs based on new feedback, and present their full design journeyβempathy, problem definition, ideation, iteration, and testingβat a Motion in Motion Festival station for an authentic audience.
Day 5
Empathize
Days 1–1
Day 1
π’ Playground Motion Immersion
Launch
10m
π£οΈ Interviewing for Force Insights
Knowledge/Skill Building
15m
π€ Live User Interviews & Observations
Community Experience
15m
π§ Empathy Map for Playground User
Deliverable
5m
Define
Days 2–2
Day 2
π§ From Interviews to Insights
Knowledge/Skill Building
10m
ποΈ Playground Insight Clusters
Deliverable
15m
β Crafting Our How Might We
Deliverable
10m
π HMW Feedback Protocol
Assessment
10m
Ideate
Days 3–3
Day 3
β‘ Crazy-8s Playground Solutions
Deliverable
15m
π§² SCAMPER Force Enhancements
Knowledge/Skill Building
10m
π User-Need Decision Matrix
Deliverable
10m
ποΈ Interaction Storyboard Sketches
Deliverable
7m
π¬ Two Stars and a Question Feedback
Knowledge/Skill Building
3m
Prototype
Days 4–4
Day 4
π§ͺ Rapid Playground Prototype Build
Project Work
20m
π₯ User Test & Feedback Rounds
Deliverable
15m
π Iteration Log & Redesign Plan
Deliverable
10m
Test/Present
Days 5–5
Day 5
π§ͺ New User Prototype Test
Project Work
20m
βοΈ Force Diagram & Graph Revisions
Deliverable
10m
π£οΈ Design Story Rehearsal Round
Knowledge/Skill Building
5m
πͺ Motion in Motion Festival Presentation
Assessment
10m
September 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
28
Day 1
Empathize
π’ Playground Motion Immersion
π£οΈ Interviewing for Force Insights
π€ Live User Interviews & Observations
π§ Empathy Map for Playground User
29
Day 2
Define
π§ From Interviews to Insights
ποΈ Playground Insight Clusters
β Crafting Our How Might We
π HMW Feedback Protocol
30
Day 3
Ideate
β‘ Crazy-8s Playground Solutions
π§² SCAMPER Force Enhancements
π User-Need Decision Matrix
ποΈ Interaction Storyboard Sketches
π¬ Two Stars and a Question Feedback
1
Day 4
Prototype
π§ͺ Rapid Playground Prototype Build
π₯ User Test & Feedback Rounds
π Iteration Log & Redesign Plan
2
Day 5
Test/Present
π§ͺ New User Prototype Test
βοΈ Force Diagram & Graph Revisions
π£οΈ Design Story Rehearsal Round
πͺ Motion in Motion Festival Presentation