Assignment | Design Lens

Hello Dear CRC Learners!

Just popping in here to welcome you to your second course!!!

Savor your time with Professor Neil Goldberg -- he is a gem.

Take care,

Alicia

Clark Kellogg, TEL Cohort

Design Thinking, Prof. Niel Goldberg

Assignment 1, October 2, 2025

1.    What makes something an object of design?

Design has historically been thought of as a process that makes physical things, or, as my friend and designer, Arnold Wasserman, says, “things destined for the landfill.” With the design thinking leading the way we now include the concept of “design as a verb” in the conception of design. As Prof. Goldberg says, “Everything that is a product of the human imagination is an object of design.”

2.    Why is it important to specify ‘human-centered’ when answering the question, ‘What is Design Thinking’?

I believe Design Thinking is synonymous with Human-centered Design. One of my first disappointments as an architecture student was realizing the training emphasized the building’s form and appearance above the human needs and functions it was ostensibly being built to meet.

In Design Thinking, “Human-centered” means the needs of people are at the core of the work and the starting point of every project. Human-centered is emphasized over object-centered – which is the point of view of the disciplines which Design Thinking emerged from.

3.    How has your perspective on the word “design” changed?

It hasn’t changed. However, the clarity of the lectures by Prof. Goldberg sharpened my appreciation of Design Thinking as a tool for social innovation. Full disclosure: I taught Design Thinking at UC Berkeley for 20 years. Prof. Goldberg’s lectures are a refreshing and insightful re-telling of a powerful story about an equally powerful process. 

1. What makes something a object of design?
2. I believe what makes something an object of design is curiosity, empathy and imagination of what's destined to be....for a better world.

2.Why is it important to specify 'human-centered when answering the question, 'What is Design Thinking?

I believe it is important to specify human-centered when answering ' What is Design Thinking because humanity needs change, especially now with all the chaos and negativity in this world. our children need a better future.

3.How has you perspective on the word perspective changed?

My perspective for the word design changed while reading Design Justice. Instead of looking at the world with the naked eye, I'll actually look at it with my heart, show compassion, be more empathetic, be more connected to engage and design a different outcome for those struggling with issues.

Hello Everyone, This is just a test... Thank you.

Leonard Bailey

Design Thinking

I see the object of design as anything shaped by human intention, with a form and function meant to serve a purpose, whether material or social.

Design Thinking is, in fact, human-centered problem-solving. Specifically and intentionally keeping us anchored in empathy, reminding us that our solutions have to work in real lives, not just in theory.

My perspective on design has drastically changed as a result of this first lesson. Prior to this lesson I viewed design as something mostly visual or artistic. Now I see it as everything humans intentionally create. That reframing makes me ask not just what was designed but also who it was designed for and *what it affords—or prevents—for different types of people.

Submitted by Deborah Anderson

1.    What makes something an object of design?

Something becomes an object of design when it is purposefully formed rather than simply existing by chance. It is also purposefully relational—created in response to human needs and community frameworks—and always situated within systems of power. Sasha Constanza-Chock in Design Justice says that design is never neutral; it reveals whose voices are centered and whose needs are met. Adreinne Maree Brown in Emergent Strategy adds that design must also be adaptive and iterative, capable of evolving through changing conditions and collective learning. Ultimately, what makes something an object of design is not only its physical or structural form, but the way it embodies values, shapes relationships, and participates in the ongoing work of justice.

2.    Why is it important to specify 'human centered' when answering the question, "what is design thinking?'

Design thinking is an approach to problem-solving grounded in empathy and the lived experience of people. Specifying design thinking as “human-centered” points to the process beginning with real human needs like stories, and hopes and dreams, not with technology, systems, or institutional goals. It also distinguishes design thinking from other problem-solving methods by stating that those most affected by a problem must participate as co-creators of the solution, not merely as subjects of it. Naming it “human-centered” keeps the focus on dignity, agency, and justice—ensuring that design serves people, not the other way around.

3. How has my perspective on the word “design” changed?

For most of my life, I’ve called what I do with paper, pencil, fabric, and scissors “designing.” It’s how I’ve expressed creativity and made beauty tangible. I still think of that as design—but through these readings, I’m beginning to glimpse a much broader and more sacred meaning. I now see design as deeply relational and even spiritual—a process woven through every part of life: in technology, community programs, worship practices, social movements, and yes, even in the clothes we wear. Design is not neutral or random; it carries intention and purpose. It is dynamic and adaptive—less a finished product and more a living, collective act of shaping the world as God dreams it to be.

CJ Dunford - Design Thinking

• What makes something an object of design?

In addition to the definition from Prof. Goldberg--anything that is a product of the human imagination--I wonder if bees contemplate design when building hives? Do mycelial consider design when growing and fruiting? I wonder, too, if much of design enacted is subconscious and based on past karma, the causes and conditions that led to our being who we are in this present moment?

• Why is it important to specify 'human-centered' when answering the question 'what is design thinking'?

There may be a few things to consider with this question, the first being the nature of "human-ness" and how often design can dehumanize people, especially groups of people with shared characteristics. As a Buddhist, I might question the importance of centering only humans and not "sentient beings", but perhaps that casts too wide a net for us to engage fully in this course. In the context of religious community building and congregational renewal, one important possible flaw of design in our institutions is that they may often not be human-centered, but rather institution- and/or systems-centered. At some point, they may have been human-centered, but after facing threats to the institutions/systems that were designed for humans, the center might migrate toward institutionalization and self-preservation.

• How has your perspective on the word "design" changed?

Design isn't a word I often use, though I often design things: art, dharma talks and other writings, meetings, events. I think I found myself a bit hesitant to embrace concepts that spring up from Silicon Valley and the business world in general. I left that world behind to pursue life as a Buddhist priest, but I also can take in the reality that I can run but cannot hide from these things. I am optimistic that there is a lot to learn here, and I appreciated the perspectives shared in the lectures & readings for the week.

I've been delighted to read all of your submissions in answer to the questions posed to last weeks course material--and even more delighted to see some of those posts show up here to bring forth further comment and connection. We have yet to receive submission from 6 of you. I encourage you to submit to be sure to gain a "complete" grade for the first module. I especially encourage all of you to submit your answers here, to the forum, where you can share your unique perspective, insights and design wisdom with everyone else, and deepen understanding by engaging in dialog.

I'm loving the delight many of you have expressed in the realization of a "consciousness shift" that comes when we recognize how much of the world around us is the product of design, which is to say of someone's creative agency--that it was created FOR a particular purpose, with a particular intention in mind, and for a particular group of people, whether the designer(s) realized it or not, and whether they executed their design skillfully, or not.

As an added prompt, I encourage you to take not of "objects of design" that you encounter in the next couple of days that you find partiuclarly interesting, delightful, or concerning, and then share your observations here for all to see. In these fluid, and immensely creative times, there are certainly an abundance of examples of carefully construed things happening with both delightful as well as maliicious intent.

test

Amanda Weaver

Design Thinking for Social Change

Lesson1: Design Lens

10/3/25

1.     What makes something an object of design?

An object of design is something that has been created with form (tangible or intangible) and function. In other words, it was brought into existence for the purpose of doing something with it.

2.     Why is it important to specify 'human-centered' when answering the question, 'What is Design Thinking'?

It is important to specify ‘human-centered’ so that we do not lose sight of why we are designing. When we talk about Design Thinking, we need to make sure that we are not designing for the sake of the thing or system we want to create. There are already an abundance of objects and programs that either nobody wanted in the first place or that must be heavily modified in order to make them usable. By focusing on ‘human-centered’ from the beginning, we are reminded to make sure that what we design is needed, wanted, and useable for the people we are designing for.

3.     How has your perspective on the word 'design' changed?

I had always thought of design in terms of physical objects or computer systems. The material this week has greatly expanded that perception, and I realize that most of what I interact with is, in fact, designed. The Design Justice reading also challenged my thinking on moving beyond equity in design and opened my eyes to just how much that we do is reactive design. How much more incredible would the world be if we weren’t just trying to make things inclusive/accessible after the fact?

What makes something an object of design?

Something is an object of design as a result of being something that originated from a human mind. Additionally, an object of design possesses a form and a function, both coming from the initial human mind responsible for creation, and adapted, refined and transformed by other humans once created.

Why is it important to specify 'human-centered' when answering the question, 'What is Design Thinking'?

It is important to specify “human-centered” when answering the question: what is design thinking? Specifying “human-centered” makes it clear that that design that we are discussing is one that is deeply engaged with the impact that it will have on human individuals, human communities, and the ecosystems that humans live within. By saying that design is “human-centered” is to say that the thriving of humans and the myriad lifeforms that they share ecosystems with is critical to the design, its form, and its functioning.

How has your perspective on the word 'design' changed?

My perspective on the word design has changed in the sense that I once viewed “design” as an activity reserved for certain types of fields/work (architecture, art, etc.), but after engaging with this week’s materials I see that “design” is an activity that takes place across all areas of human endeavor, including the spiritual and religious.

M. Cross

Lesson 1

What Is Design Thinking?

The Design Lens

Reflection

What makes something an object of design?

Everything that is a product of human imagination is an object of design. Because there is no limit to human imagination, there is no limit to design. 

Why is it important to specify "human centered" when answering the question, 'What is design thinking'?  Human-centered designs respond to the needs of society. These designs consider how society is impacted. They answer the who, with, and for questions. They are the result of listing to meet the need.

How has your perspective on the word 'design' changed?

My perspective on design has been broadened realizing that design isn't limited to material objects but that it includes ideas and imaginations. I can see design as infinite.

What makes something an object of design?

When I think about an object of design, it prompts me to think about what this something can become. It becomes an object of design because it can be reformatted, reshaped or repurposed to satisfy a need. We don't always think of ourselves as designers, but we all have that ability to see something in a different form with a different intent or outcome.

Why is it important to specify 'human-centered' when answering the question, 'What is Design Thinking'?

When I specify “human-centered” in defining Design Thinking, I am clarifying that the process is not just about solving a problem — it is about solving a problem in a way that genuinely benefits the person who will use it.

Human-centeredness forces me to consider the end user. I have to ask: Who is this for? What do they actually need? How will this change their lived experience?

Without that emphasis, design can become abstract or haphazard. But when I intentionally focus on the human element, I am designing with purpose. I am responding to an expressed or observed need and creating something that is relatable, usable, and meaningful for that person. Specifying “human-centered” keeps the design grounded in real people, real contexts, and real impact.

How has your perspective on the word 'design' changed?

My perspective on design hasn’t changed so much as it has expanded. I no longer see design as just creating something; I see it as shaping systems and experiences around real human needs. In my grief work, design means intentionally creating compassionate spaces where people can come together, connect, and heal. It’s less about producing a product and more about structuring meaningful human interaction.

Ime H.

<What is Design Thinking? The Design Lens>

What makes something an object of design? 

An object of design is anything that is intentionally shaped to address a need or improve an experience. It does not have to be a physical object — it can be a program, a service, a system, or even a process. What makes it an object of design is that it is not accidental. It is thoughtfully created with purpose, structure, and responsiveness to a real problem.

Why is it important to specify 'human-centered' when answering the question, 'What is Design Thinking'? 

It is important to specify “human-centered” because design thinking is not simply about innovation or creativity — it is about people. Without the human-centered lens, design could easily prioritize efficiency, aesthetics, or institutional goals over lived experience.

Human-centered design begins with empathy. It asks: Who is affected? What are they experiencing? What do they need — not what do we assume they need? It resists designing from a distance.

How has your perspective on the word 'design' changed?

Design now feels less like decoration and more like discernment. It is about intentionally shaping structures, relationships, and systems to better respond to human need. It is iterative, relational, and responsive.

Reflect on the section videos and images, then answer the questions:

What makes something an object of design?

We are setting the conditions for a new kind of activity, Something that shift perspectives, behavior change, a new way of being in the world. Designing for social change.

Why is it important to specify 'human-centered' when answering the question, 'What is Design Thinking'? Designing with and for people.

How has your perspective on the word 'design' changed?

Asset based view point on learning, creating, and getting feedback. Co designers and Co Leads who are designing in the process and being good at bringing people together.

What makes something an object of design?

We are setting the conditions for a new kind of activity, Something that shift perspectives, behavior change, a new way of being in the world. Designing for social change.

Why is it important to specify 'human-centered' when answering the question, 'What is Design Thinking'? Designing with and for people.

How has your perspective on the word 'design' changed?

Asset based view point on learning, creating, and getting feedback. Co designers and Co Leads who are designing in the process and being good at bringing people together.

It is important to specify “human-centered” because Design Thinking is not only about innovation or aesthetics—it is about understanding people. Human-centered design places the needs, emotions, behaviors, and lived experiences of people at the center of decision-making. Without that focus, design can become disconnected, exclusive, or purely profit-driven. Human-centered Design Thinking requires empathy, listening, observation, collaboration, and adaptability. It asks designers and leaders to create solutions that are accessible, meaningful, and responsive to real human challenges. In ministry, entertainment, branding, and community outreach, this approach matters because people are not simply audiences or consumers; they are individuals with stories, needs, and dignity.

How has your perspective on the word “design” changed?

My perspective on the word “design” has expanded beyond visuals and aesthetics. I used to associate design mainly with fashion, graphics, stage presentation, or branding. Now I understand design as a way of thinking and shaping experiences. Design influences how organizations operate, how communities engage, how events flow, how leaders communicate, and how people feel included or excluded. I now see design as intentional structure combined with creativity and purpose. Every environment, conversation, event, and system communicates something by design—even if unintentionally. That realization has made me more aware of how thoughtful design can create empowerment, connection, clarity, and transformation.