WHAT WE ARE DOING

WHY WE ARE DOING IT

collaboratively writing a project thesis statement and developing a project name 

as the first activity with your new partner, this will unify your concepts and direct your future work

When writing an essay, a thesis statement is a sentence that states the topic and purpose of your writing. A good thesis statement will direct the structure of your essay and will allow your reader to understand the ideas you will discuss within your paper.

A thesis statement for a creative project serves a similar purpose. This statement will guide your research and prototyping throughout the creative process.

EXAMPLE PROJECT THESIS

The Ascendoskeleton is an exohand that assists users in the climbing of vertical surfaces such as cliffs and trees through the use of velco-like metal claws. The Ascendoskeleton is inspired by the climbing abilities of spider legs.  

Ascendoskeleton

EXAMPLE PROJECT THESIS

WaterWear is a rain collection and storage device that is designed for a future of extreme water scarcity due to climate change. The device is worn on the body at all times so water can always be collected when available and used when needed. 

WaterWear

CYBORG THESIS QUESTIONS

What is it?

How does it work?

What inspired the design?

Why is it needed?

Answer the most important of these questions for your specific project. 

Speak in the "third person". Do not use the words "I" or "you" in your thesis statement. 

As the first time working with your new partner, you will need to compromise and negotiate. 

PROJECT NAME GENERATOR

It is easier to write a thesis statement for your project once you have chosen a project name. 

Here is one technique for coming up with many name options to choose from. 

Project Theme 1

Project Theme 2

Possible Project Names

Water 

Hydro

Liquid

Rain

Dry 

Pack

Collector 

Wear

Camel

 

Suit

Water Pack

Water Wear 

Water Suit

Hydro Wear 

Hydro Pack 

Rain Collector 

Rain Camel 

Rain Wear 

Defining the thesis of your project is an important step. It may take multiple drafts to get it right. This thesis can evolve over the course of the design process. Ask others to critique your words. 

The Climbclaw is an attachment that helps users in climbing things like spiderman. It is made out of cardboard and has spikes. 

exohand

what

things?

what would the final materials be?

WHAT WE ARE MAKING

WHY WE ARE MAKING IT

a electrical circuit that powers a DC motor

a motor can activate our projects with movement

MATERIAL OPTIONS

The Motors

The Batteries

The Wires

The Switches

Vibration Motor

(3v)

High Torque

Geared Motor

(3v-9v)

High Speed

Geared Motor

(3v-9v)

Coin Cell

(3v)

9v Battery

(9v)

AA Battery Holder

(3v)

Male-Male Jumper Wires

22 Gauge Wires

Rocker Switch

Momentary Switch

Toggle Switch

Motors convert electrical current (the flow of electrons) to rotational movement via electromagnets. 

CREATING THE CIRCUIT

Design the object you want your motor to spin. 

How does it attach to the motor shaft?

Toggle Switch

9v Battery

Geared Motor

DESIGN YOUR CYBORG MOVEMENT!

WHAT WE ARE MAKING

WHY WE ARE MAKING IT

a final presentation set of slides

to record and tell the story of your design process

Your presentation is not only about your final prototype. It is the telling of the story of the entire design process. 

Tell the story through pictures from beginning to end. 

Title Slide

Project Image &

Partner Names

Thesis Statement

Future Montage 

and/or 

Inspiration Image

Early Prototypes

and

Early Sketches

Full Scale

Drafted Drawing

Final Prototype 

Images &

Video / GIF Animation

1

2

3

4

5

6

You and your partner should prepare 6-12 slides showing your project progress.

SLIDESHOW TEMPLATE

Do not put too much information on one slide, often one picture is enough.

EXAMPLE PRESENTATION

Three Kinds of Feedback

There are three forms of feedback, all of which vary in their degree of usefulness to us in the design process.

Understanding these three kinds of feedback can help us understand the conversations we have with our teams and improve our own ability to react to and use feedback to strengthen our designs.

Reaction-Based

Feedback

Direction-Based

Feedback

Critique

REACTION-BASED

FEEDBACK

This type of feedback tends to be emotional or visceral. It happens quickly and instinctively. This type of feedback is often filled with passion. It’s driven by someone’s personal expectations, desires, and values. Essentially, it’s a gut reaction.

The Characteristics of Bad Critique

What causes a critique to be “bad” is usually a set of behaviors or characteristics exhibited by those involved.

Selfish

Untimely

Incomplete

Preferential

SELFISH

Driven by the critic’s personal goals and come at the expense of the team or other individuals, specifically the designer of whatever is being discussed. In extreme cases, selfish critique comes from the motivation of the giver to not only be heard and attract attention, but also to be recognized as smarter or superior.

UNTIMELY

For the receiver to really listen, process, and make use of critique, she needs to be in the proper mindset. When critique is uninvited, it can lead to defensiveness, communication breakdowns, and often paints the person giving the critique as a “know it all.”

INCOMPLETE

For critiques to become valuable, they need to be followed by an explanation as to “why” the giver is having that reaction or foresees a certain outcome.

PREFERENTIAL

That’s when designs are torn apart not because a particular aspect isn’t working toward its objective, but rather because it doesn’t match exactly what the critique giver “likes.”

Best Practices for Giving Critique

Productive critique has the ability to strengthen relationships and collaboration, improve productivity, and lead to better designs.

Lead

with questions

Use

a filter

Talk about strenghts

Think about perspective

LEAD WITH QUESTIONS

By asking questions you give yourself more information on which to base your analysis and give stronger, actionable feedback. It can also show the designer that you’re genuinely interested in his work, and the thinking behind it, which can make discussing the project easier.

USE A FILTER

Hold on to your initial reactions, investigate them, and discuss them in the proper context. Ask the presenters additional questions if necessary to help you understand your reaction. Does the reaction relate to the objectives of the product, the audience for it, or any particular best practices that should be followed?

TALK ABOUT STRENGHTS

When we talk about aspects of a product or design that are working, there is the potential for the designer to examine those areas and abstract concepts or elements from them that could be used to strengthen other areas of the design that might not be working as well.

THINK ABOUT PERSPECTIVE

When you examine an aspect of the design and comparing your perspective to what you think the user’s might be, you’re off to a good start. From there you might find that one is clearly more appropriate than the other, or perhaps it might be best to bring both up in the discussion.

Receiving Critique Poorly

When engaging in critique, there are patterns that go against critique best practices and can hinder the critique process.



Asking for feedback

without listening

Asking for feedback

for praise or validation

Not asking for

feedback at all

ASKING FOR FEEDBACK

WITHOUT LISTENING

Asking for critique at a time when we don’t really want it or can’t do something with it leads to unproductive discussions. By not listening to our teammates, we miss valuable insights that can help improve our designs.

ASKING FOR FEEDBACK FOR VALIDATION

Whether we’re designing alone or as part of a team, it’s not unusual to want to be recognized for our creations. But it should not become our motivation for asking for feedback.

NOT ASKING FOR

FEEDBACK AT ALL

If we don’t take the initiative to ask for critique or feedback in a way that helps us understand and improve upon our ideas then we’ll miss a huge opportunity. We can’t assume that just because no one comes to us that we’ve designed the perfect solution.

Best Practices for Receiving Critique

Receiving critique in a way that is productive goes beyond just asking for it and then sitting back to let others give you their thoughts.

Remember the

purpose

Listen and think before responding

Return to the foundation

Participate

REMEMBER

THE PURPOSE

Critique is about understanding and improvement, not judgment. There is no such thing as a perfect solution. There is always room for improvement. A goal of a critique is to help identify where those opportunities are. Critique isn’t about pass or fail. It is a reflection used to inform a next step.

LISTEN AND THINK BEFORE RESPONDING

When receiving critique, it’s important that we work toward preventing any natural tendencies to form rebuttals and instead focus on listening to people’s entire thoughts.

PARTICIPATE

One of the best things a designer can do during a critique is to become a critic themselves. Being able to shift our mindset from thinking creatively to being analytical about what we’re designing is a key design skill.

CRITIQUE

Critique isn’t about that instant reaction we might feel when seeing something, or about how we would change someone’s design to better solve an issue. Critique is a form of analysis that uses critical thinking to determine whether a design is expected to achieve its desired objectives.

DIRECTION-BASED

FEEDBACK

Typically begins with an instruction or suggestion. In many cases that’s also where it ends. In this form of feedback, the individual providing it is often looking for ways to bring the design more in line with their own expectations of what the solution should be.

WHAT WE ARE MAKING

WHY WE ARE MAKING IT

a hand stitched pocket to learn how to sew

once we can sew, we can create with textiles

ACTIVITY MATERIALS

Metal Ruler

Pencil 

Needle

Thread

(multiple colors)

Fabric Squares

(10" x 10")

Scissors

(fabric scissors)

CUT FABRIC PATTERN

Draw with a pencil then cut a rectangle that is 2x the size of what will go in the pocket (it will fold over)

Leave a margin of 1" on every side of the object. This is where the stitch will go. Don't make your pocket too small.

SEW Inside Out

Fold over pocket

opening for hem

Hem stitched

pocket opening

Inside out

hidden seam

PREPARE NEEDLE + THREAD

Cut yourself a wingspan (arm to arm) length of thread, feed it through the needle, and tie off the end of the two ends to create a double-threaded needle. 

PREPARE NEEDLE + THREAD

BACKSTITCH SEWING TECHNIQUE

BACKSTITCH SEWING TECHNIQUE

Pencil in Your Stitch Line

Use Thread Knot to Start

Backstitch Along the Line