2019 Annual Report

Director’s Note

Elon By Design has built on emerging interests and expertise across campus. The Center for Design Thinking nurtured those connections and an evolving vision over the last three years. This work would not have been possible without the participation of hundreds of students, faculty and staff.

I am excited to build upon this work and chart an ambitious course for the next 5 years. Where will the Center be in 5 years? What will we accomplish together along the way? What will Elon By Design become? How will we measure success? This document answers those questions and more while leaving space to evolve as Elon adapts to learner needs and the world’s opportunities.

5 Year Goals

  • Drive inclusive and intentional innovation and foster boundary-spanning collaborations
    • Capturing, visualizing, and enhancing the DT ecosystem
    • Extending the depth and breadth of DT in the curriculum
    • Growing the network between the Elon community and external people applying and exploring DT
    • Supporting efforts to identify and address wicked problems with local and global communities
  • Enhance university operations via DT
  • Increase human capability
    • Students will be able to apply DT processes, methods, and mindsets to solve problems
    • Faculty participate in DT opportunities and utilize DT practices in their work
    • Staff participate in DT opportunities and utilize in relevant projects
  • Build and formalize a thriving Center for Design Thinking
  • Support and enhance DT-infused assessment, research, scholarship

Fall Consulting Work and Emerging Partnerships

Program / Curricular

  • Communication Design Curricular Mapping & AAC&U Civic Prompts in the Major Institute
  • M.Ed. program planning
  • Core Slotting
  • Crucial Conversations in Healthcare, Physician Assistant Studies & the Anatomical Gift Program
  • Periclean Scholars 2020 Design Planning
  • Kernodle Center Changemakers consultations

Community

  • Design for America (YMCA of the Triangle)
  • Alamance Wellness Collaborative
  • Alamance Burlington School System
  • 4C Community Collegiate Challenge, North Carolina Campus Compact
  • 4th Friday in Burlington, Maker Hub, & Steam Junction
  • Alamance Achieves Collaborative Initiative
  • Coalition for Change, AshokaU Changemakers

Fall 2019 Center Workshops

70 Workshops

Approximately 1,210 participants

562 survey respondents said the workshop (scale of 1 to 6):

  • 5.30 was easy and enjoyable
  • 5.25 was highly engaging
  • 5.17 gave me resources I will use
  • 5.10 enhanced my interest in design thinking