big picture

A program that uses design, technology, social media and play to engage and empower young people effect positive change in their communities

ideas@play is where play and design education meets social change. We’re inspiring tomorrow’s change agents and empowering them with the skills and tools to effect positive change in their communities. It all starts by re inventing play and engaging the creative, physical, and technical skills that have been identified as necessary to both adapt and thrive in our complex and ever changing world. We also believe in diverse and dynamic groups.

We see great benefit in connecting young people with leaders in their fields, experts and those in the wise age, the third age of life. Social inclusion, community building and sharing knowledge are a big parts of what we do.

Inspired by people such as Sir Ken Robinson, Jane McGonigal, Richard Gerver, Chris Lehmann and Jane McGonigal, we’re encouraging young Australians to embrace the role of designer, use the design tools they already love to use online and off and use social media to deliver the message, create and connect with communities. We are also following the four pillars of play, open environments, flexible tools, modifiable rules and superpowers.

These challenges show that young people can play and produce in the big world now and not have to wait to be graduates or experts.
The Design thinking curriculum we use to guide all our challenges is world class, tried and tested and comes from the K12 project by d.school at Stanford in the USA.

Get creative, have fun, design solutions to social issues, make stuff and connect with family, friends, students and your community. The average time to complete the challenge is 2.5 days during 5 half day sessions over two weeks.
It’s a party, It’s a workshop, It’s a webinar, It’s what you make it!

Background

How much untapped creative social capital is there in Australia’s youth?  ideas@play will help to answer this question.

This whole ideas@play project began in 2008 with a series of questions.

• How can we educate for innovation and prepare a new generation of social entrepreneurs with the skills they need for the jobs and in the industries of the future?
• How might we use a mix of Design Thinking, play, technology and social media to address the world’s most pressing issues whilst teaching young people valuable skills for life?
• How can the experience of Design Thinking become a shared, joyful, cross-generational experience that connects people with shared vision to design for the future?
• What new models of civic engagement can inspire a generation of young people to think and do good using the very technologies and social networks they love to use each and every day?

Two years back I (Brendan O’Keefe) dreamed ideas@play would be a reality after discovering the IDEO Human Centred Design Kit and so began my journey into design thinking for social innovation, next gen education and the use of social media to effect positive change. Now I look back like many cool ideas this one has benefited by the 2 year gestation period.

Children with banner

Let’s play! My wife and I now have a two year old and this has prompted me to explore the wonders of play. The joy, adventure, the mystery and confidence in exploring new things and making something out of a few basic materials led me to include play as a feature of the ideas@play challenge.

I researched in my spare time and in  2009 came across the work of  d.school and MAYA.  More recently I discovered Prototype Design Camp. All of these organisations inspired me to challenge myself, re-frame my concept and facilitate a design thinking challenge during 2011 here in Australia. Perhaps this model will inspire others to replicate or build on the ideas@play concept.

Late 2010 I was thinking, how could I merge the concept of a themed party, and design thinking social innovation challenge? Later a friend suggested a school holiday activity for our work colleagues. BOOM! Here it is. ideas@play 2011.

Based on a cross-pollination of a party meets Design Thinking challenge, I’ve created ideas@play as either a dynamic school holiday activity or a community outreach program. 

Design Thinking is a process for practical, creative resolution of problems or issues that looks for an improved future result.  It is the essential ability to combine empathy, creativity and rationality to meet user needs. I’ve recently begun to invite local community organisations to submit problems that need solutions for consideration in the 2011-2012 challenges.

I’ll provide a kit with all the resources  needed to complete the challenge and help come up with solutions for community issues. The curriculum is designed by the world famous d.school at Stanford University. The k12 lab is part of the Stanford Design School. Other resources include the Human Centred Design Toolkit by IDEO.

Mission

Design is not about products, it’s about people. I want to inspire and support you to design a better future using Design Thinking methodology, play, technology and social media. I’m connecting with like-minded educators and designers from all over the planet to support and collaborate on similar projects so we call all benefit. I want to encourage more Australians to engage Design Thinking methodology in their projects, teaching and work.

I also really to provide you an opportunity to connect with creative individuals and watch you all solve some universal problems while working with local community organisations. Let’s all raise awareness of possibility consciousness and design a better tomorrow, today.

Vision (the big picture)

Generative thinking, play, possibility consciousness and connectedness are inherent in all people who have been a part of the ideas@play project. These people become champions for fun and become skilled changemakers, influencing others to see that we can design our way to a better future and not just problem solve the present.

What on earth is Design Thinking? – IDEO founder David Kelly explains

Design Thinking is a methodology for practical, creative resolution of problems or issues that looks for an improved future result. It is the essential ability to combine empathy, creativity and rationality to meet user needs and drive business success.

Unlike analytical thinking, design thinking is a creative process based around the “building up” of ideas. There are no judgments early on in design thinking. This eliminates the fear of failure and encourages maximum input and participation in the ideation and prototype phases. Outside the box thinking is encouraged in these earlier processes since this can often lead to creative solutions. Wikipedia

Key activities in the Design Thinking process

1. Turn problems into projects, give yourself constraints
2. Look for insights outside of your world
3. Make ideas tangible (quickly)
4. Sell ideas through powerful storytelling

Example Design Thinking challenge

Example Design Thinking Challenge

Download the d.school’s – An Educator’s Guide to Design Thinking (PDF 4.8 MB)

The ideas@play challenge outline

• ideas@play boot camp will be broadcast online prior to each challenge.
• Download a d.kit, form a team(s), select a challenge and follow the design thinking curriculum created by the K-12 Lab at the Stanford Design School.
• Host a great party – express yourself – have fun – do your own thing – get your friends involved – show off to your friends and family – make a difference.
• Upload your solution (product, service or social media campaign) in the for of a presentation to Slideshare.net or a video to YouTube.com
• Our online community will vote the solution deemed most fit to make the most positive impact in the community. See the community voting platform here.

The ideas@play challenge details

play, mystery, adventure, challenge, solution finding

It’s a party, It’s a workshop, It’s a webinar, It’s what you make it! This gives you maximum flexibility. You decide how and where you do the challenge.

Through ideas@play, a Design Thinking social innovation challenge, you are invited to apply your talent, creativity and tool-box of skills to address some of the most troubling social challenges of our time with empathy, play, creativity, discipline, and the youthful optimism to effect positive change.

You’ll all become researchers, consumers will become creators as you collaborate as teams and have loads of fun!

Boot camps will run in Melbourne. The boot camps will be broadcast online. This will introduce people to all the ingredients of the challenge and enable mentors/teachers to network.
Attend a weekly webinar for guidance and tips. Listen and learn from fascinating guest speakers, ask questions via IM, SMS and Twitter.

Host a workshop or d.party, find a mentor or ask your parents, teacher to act as a guide (facilitator). Follow the d.school curriculum over the period. Immerse yourself in ideation and rapid prototyping  and when you have completed upload your final presentation to slideshare or YouTube and then complete and submit the entry form.  See where the community will vote for the ideas deemed to have most impact here.

Help design the challenges. Vote via text message

You tell us what matters most to you. Leading up to the challenge we want to hear from you.
You will soon be able to vote for this year’s top issue and submit a challenge question via SMS* standard SMS rates apply.

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Format

• Part One
• Part Two
• Part Three
• Part Four

we learn the  skills

• Introductory Webinar
• Design Thinking
• Social Media 101

research and ideate

• Research & Interview
• Define the Issues
• Brainstorm Opportunities

prototype and test

• Prototyping
• Play
• Gather Feedback

reflect and celebrate

• Deliver Solutions
• Submit Presentations Online
• Community Vote

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colour your world