This dynamic Toolkit engages undergraduate students from a range of disciplines in hands-on exercises in design thinking for social impact. Originally created by ArtCenter College of Design Associate Professors Penny Herscovitch & Dan Gottlieb for their award-winning Safe Agua educational initiative, they collaboratively adapted methodologies for the University of Southern California and other entrepreneurial educational programs. The Toolkit supports educators applying design principles within their courses and frames a term-long process of design education for social impact. Exercises help guide interdisciplinary student teams through the process of conducting field research; identifying key opportunities; co-creating with communities and partner organizations; and prototyping innovative products, systems, and social enterprises to address challenges facing local and global underserved communities.
Creation: Penny Herscovitch & Dan Gottlieb (Associate Professors, ArtCenter College of Design / Co-Founders, Padlab)
Development: Stella Hernandez (Instructor, ArtCenter College of Design and University of Southern California)
Adaptation: Abby Fifer Mandell (Executive Director, Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab and Visiting Professor of Entrepreneurship, Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, USC Marshall School of Business)