Empathize
Empathize
Students will investigate how different members of the Albuquerque community experience and understand New Mexico history in order to ground their future parade float designs in real stories, needs, and misconceptions. Through direct interviews, observation, and structured empathy tools, students will gather evidence from at least two real users and translate that evidence into empathy maps and personas that will guide problem definition in the next phase.
Days 1 - 14
Define
Define
Students will synthesize their New Mexico history interviews and source research into a focused, user-centered problem statement that will guide the design of their parade float. They will identify patterns across multiple users, define a clear "How Might We" question grounded in evidence, and refine it through peer critique before advancing to ideation.
Days 15 - 28
Ideate
Ideate
Students will generate a wide range of float concepts grounded in real user evidence, push beyond obvious first ideas using structured ideation strategies, and converge on 2–3 strong concepts supported by documented rationale tied directly to community needs and historical accuracy.
Days 29 - 46
Prototype
Prototype
Students will build, test, and revise increasingly sophisticated parade float prototypes that communicate a specific New Mexico historical event to a real audience. They will move from rapid cardboard mockups to detailed scale models, document user feedback, and produce an iteration log showing how community input improved historical clarity and audience engagement.
Days 47 - 68
Test/Present
Test/Present
Students will validate their refined parade float designs with new community users, make final evidence-based revisions, and publicly present their full-scale Community-Centered Historical Parade Float during the Albuquerque parade, clearly tracing design decisions back to user research and documented iterations.
Days 69 - 90
Empathize
Days 1–14
Day 1
🎉 Meet Parade Stakeholders
Launch
65m
Day 2
🧠 Empathy Mapping Workshop
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 3
🎤 Interview Protocol Lab
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 4
🎭 Practice Interviews & Feedback
Project Work
65m
👥 Second User Interviews
Community Experience
65m
Day 5
🏘️ Community History Interviews
Community Experience
65m
Day 6
Day 7
🔎 Observation & Parade Context Walk
Research
65m
Day 8
🗂️ Empathy Map Drafts
Deliverable
65m
Day 9
🔄 Empathy Map Peer Critique
Deliverable
65m
Day 10
👤 User Persona Creation
Deliverable
65m
Day 11
📚 Source Triangulation Mini-Lesson
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 12
🧾 Research & Interview Synthesis
Research
65m
Day 13
🛑 Empathy Evidence Checkpoint
Assessment
65m
Day 14
Define
Days 15–28
Day 15
🧩 Clustering Community Interview Quotes
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 16
🗺️ Affinity Map Evidence Wall
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 17
🎭 Evidence-Based User Persona
Deliverable
65m
Day 18
🌳 Problem Tree of Misunderstanding
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 19
✏️ Drafting Parade Float HMW Statements
Deliverable
65m
Day 20
🔍 Assumption Check Protocol
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 21
🧠 Converging on One HMW
Project Work
65m
Day 22
📜 Writing the Design Brief
Deliverable
65m
Day 23
🗣️ Design Brief Peer Critique Round
Deliverable
65m
Day 24
✅ Problem Definition Milestone
Assessment
65m
Day 25
Day 26
Day 27
Day 28
Ideate
Days 29–46
Day 29
🧠 Rapid Float Idea Sprint
Deliverable
65m
Day 30
✏️ Crazy-8s Float Sketches
Deliverable
65m
Day 31
🔍 SCAMPER the Historical Float
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 32
🌎 Analogous Inspiration Gallery
Research
65m
Day 33
🎨 Symbol & Storytelling Workshop
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 34
📣 Peer Concept Feedback Round
Deliverable
65m
Day 35
📊 User-Need Decision Matrix
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 36
🗳️ Converging on Top Concepts
Deliverable
65m
Day 37
🖼️ User Journey Storyboards
Deliverable
65m
Day 38
👥 Community Concept Critique
Community Experience
65m
Day 39
🔁 Concept Revision Log
Deliverable
65m
Day 40
✅ Concept Approval Pitch
Assessment
65m
Day 41
Day 42
Day 43
Day 44
Day 45
Day 46
Prototype
Days 47–68
Day 47
🛠️ Durable Float Engineering Lab
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 48
🎨 Symbol & Storytelling Workshop
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 49
📏 Scale Model Math Studio
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 50
📦 Rapid Cardboard Float V1
Project Work
65m
Day 51
🔍 Peer Feedback Protocol Round 1
Deliverable
65m
Day 52
🔄 Prototype V2 Revision Build
Project Work
65m
Day 53
🧪 Community Walkthrough Testing
Community Experience
65m
Day 54
📝 User Testing Synthesis Log
Deliverable
65m
Day 55
🏗️ Detailed Scale Model V3
Project Work
65m
Day 56
🎤 Peer Critique Round 2
Deliverable
65m
Day 57
🔧 Final Prototype Refinement
Project Work
65m
Day 58
📚 Prototype Iteration Portfolio Check
Assessment
65m
Day 59
Day 60
Day 61
Day 62
Day 63
Day 64
Day 65
Day 66
Day 67
Day 68
Test/Present
Days 69–90
Day 69
🗣️ New User Testing Protocols
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 70
👥 Fresh Eyes Float Testing
Community Experience
65m
Day 71
🔁 V3 Float Revisions
Project Work
65m
Day 72
📝 Design Journey Storyboard
Deliverable
65m
Day 73
🎤 Presentation Craft Workshop
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 74
🎥 Peer Feedback Roundtables
Deliverable
65m
Day 75
🛠️ Final Float Build & Safety Check
Project Work
65m
Day 76
🎙️ Dress Rehearsal with Guests
Community Experience
65m
Day 77
Day 78
Day 79
Day 80
🎉 Albuquerque Parade Exhibition
Assessment
65m
Day 81
Day 82
🏛️ Design Solution Presentation
Assessment
65m
Day 83
Day 84
Day 85
Day 86
Day 87
Day 88
Day 89
Day 90
June 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
8
Day 1
Empathize
🎉 Meet Parade Stakeholders
9
Day 2
🧠 Empathy Mapping Workshop
10
Day 3
🎤 Interview Protocol Lab
11
Day 4
🎭 Practice Interviews & Feedback
👥 Second User Interviews
12
Day 5
🏘️ Community History Interviews
15
Day 6
16
Day 7
🔎 Observation & Parade Context Walk
17
Day 8
🗂️ Empathy Map Drafts
18
Day 9
🔄 Empathy Map Peer Critique
19
Day 10
👤 User Persona Creation
22
Day 11
📚 Source Triangulation Mini-Lesson
23
Day 12
🧾 Research & Interview Synthesis
24
Day 13
🛑 Empathy Evidence Checkpoint
25
Day 14
26
Day 15
Define
🧩 Clustering Community Interview Quotes
July 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
29
Day 16
🗺️ Affinity Map Evidence Wall
30
Day 17
🎭 Evidence-Based User Persona
1
Day 18
🌳 Problem Tree of Misunderstanding
2
Day 19
✏️ Drafting Parade Float HMW Statements
3
Day 20
🔍 Assumption Check Protocol
6
Day 21
🧠 Converging on One HMW
7
Day 22
📜 Writing the Design Brief
8
Day 23
🗣️ Design Brief Peer Critique Round
9
Day 24
✅ Problem Definition Milestone
10
Day 25
13
Day 26
14
Day 27
15
Day 28
16
Day 29
Ideate
🧠 Rapid Float Idea Sprint
17
Day 30
✏️ Crazy-8s Float Sketches
20
Day 31
🔍 SCAMPER the Historical Float
21
Day 32
🌎 Analogous Inspiration Gallery
22
Day 33
🎨 Symbol & Storytelling Workshop
23
Day 34
📣 Peer Concept Feedback Round
24
Day 35
📊 User-Need Decision Matrix
27
Day 36
🗳️ Converging on Top Concepts
28
Day 37
🖼️ User Journey Storyboards
29
Day 38
👥 Community Concept Critique
30
Day 39
🔁 Concept Revision Log
31
Day 40
✅ Concept Approval Pitch
August 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
3
Day 41
4
Day 42
5
Day 43
6
Day 44
7
Day 45
10
Day 46
11
Day 47
Prototype
🛠️ Durable Float Engineering Lab
12
Day 48
🎨 Symbol & Storytelling Workshop
13
Day 49
📏 Scale Model Math Studio
14
Day 50
📦 Rapid Cardboard Float V1
17
Day 51
🔍 Peer Feedback Protocol Round 1
18
Day 52
🔄 Prototype V2 Revision Build
19
Day 53
🧪 Community Walkthrough Testing
20
Day 54
📝 User Testing Synthesis Log
21
Day 55
🏗️ Detailed Scale Model V3
24
Day 56
🎤 Peer Critique Round 2
25
Day 57
🔧 Final Prototype Refinement
26
Day 58
📚 Prototype Iteration Portfolio Check
27
Day 59
28
Day 60
September 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
31
Day 61
1
Day 62
2
Day 63
3
Day 64
4
Day 65
7
Day 66
8
Day 67
9
Day 68
10
Day 69
Test/Present
🗣️ New User Testing Protocols
11
Day 70
👥 Fresh Eyes Float Testing
14
Day 71
🔁 V3 Float Revisions
15
Day 72
📝 Design Journey Storyboard
16
Day 73
🎤 Presentation Craft Workshop
17
Day 74
🎥 Peer Feedback Roundtables
18
Day 75
🛠️ Final Float Build & Safety Check
21
Day 76
🎙️ Dress Rehearsal with Guests
22
Day 77
23
Day 78
24
Day 79
25
Day 80
🎉 Albuquerque Parade Exhibition
28
Day 81
29
Day 82
🏛️ Design Solution Presentation
30
Day 83
1
Day 84
2
Day 85
October 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
5
Day 86
6
Day 87
7
Day 88
8
Day 89
9
Day 90