1-Pager
Plan
By Phase By Day Calendar
Launch
Students will launch the yearlong pathway project by building background knowledge about shelter adoption work, community outreach, and animal safety; connecting with mentors and community partners; surfacing assumptions; and producing the first evidence-based concept materials that will guide deeper research in the next phase.
Days 1 - 11
Make Empathy Map
Students will synthesize interview notes, observation records, and partner input into empathy maps, journey patterns, and assumption-check documents that clarify stakeholder needs, barriers, and safety risks. They will test their interpretations through critique, mentor feedback, and a community partner touchpoint, then revise toward a clear evidence-based problem direction for the next phase.
Days 30 - 46
Define Design Brief
Students will turn empathy findings, interview evidence, and shelter partner input into a focused design brief for a community adoption awareness effort. They will define a clear problem statement, analyze criteria and constraints, draft measurable outreach goals, and refine their brief through mentor, peer, and partner critique before a milestone approval for the next phase.
Days 47 - 63
Showcase
Students will finalize and present their adoption awareness work to authentic audiences, document community impact from the event, and curate evidence of how research, feedback, and revision shaped their final decisions. They will use peer critique, mentor input, and audience responses to strengthen exhibition materials, then complete a final performance assessment and year-end reflection on collaboration, activism, and self-direction.
Days 98 - 108