Observations to Insights Now it’s time to practice a little design thinking. When talking about observation as a core tenet of design thinking, it’s easy to say, “I’ve observed all my life. I don’t need to practice observing.” Well, you haven’t been observing your entire life; you’ve just been looking. When we observe with purpose and intention, we often see new things. This Mindshift is about getting outside of the classroom, observing, and then building insights from your observation data. The AEIOU framework is a tool to help you do this. First, identify an area of curiosity for you. This could be fitness, video gaming, food, travel, education—any human activity you are curious about. Once you have identified an area of curiosity, find a space that is related to this area. For example, if you are interested in food, you could observe waiters at a local restaurant. If you are interested in education, you could observe students in a class. If you are interested in travel, you could observe people in an airport or at a highway rest stop. What’s most important is that you must observe people. Remember, design thinking is human-centered, and desirability comes first. By observing people, you can identify what they need. Observe for 1 hour and record your notes using a table like the one below. Using the AEIOU framework helps you organize your notes. Observation Worksheet AEIOU Framework Activities What are people doing? Environment How are people using the environment? What’s the role of the environment? Interactions Do you see any routines? Do you observe special interactions between people? Between people and objects? Objects What’s there and being used or not used? Describe engagement with objects. Are there any workarounds you can identify? Users Who are the users you are observing? What are their roles? Are there any extreme users? Now think about any insights arising from your observations. Remember, insight is not an idea; it’s a statement that drives your idea and identifies the needs of users. Use the fill-in-the-blank from Figure 4.3 to help you! (users) need (verb) because (insert why) Example: Surfers need to conveniently travel with their board because they like to explore new surfing areas. (users) need (verb) in a way that (insert why) Example: City drivers need to reduce their speed in a way that protects pedestrians and bikers. (users) need (verb) so (insert why) Example: College professors need to teach more experientially so that students are more engaged with course content. Critical Thinking Questions 1. Do you agree that observing and seeing are two different skills? In what ways, if any, are they different? 2. In the AEIOU framework, which aspect of observation did you find the most useful? The most challenging? Explain your answers. 3. What insight can you identify for the space you observed in this exercise? Does your insight relate to a need or a solution? Remember, insights are not solutions—they lead you to solutions. Why is separating needs and solutions important?

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Observation Worksheet AEIOU Framework Activities Environment Interactions Objects Users Customers are ordering food and drinks Waiters are taking orde... View the full answer