Elon University Center for Design Thinking

What Is Design Thinking?

Strategies that empower people and communities to design life differently.

Design thinking is a human-centered approach to problem-solving that helps us uncover the underlying causes of challenges and provides creative, structured methods to address them. It focuses on understanding the needs of the people affected, encouraging collaboration, and generating innovative solutions.

At Elon University’s Center for Design Thinking, we’ve been developing, teaching, and studying these techniques since 2016. Our work has empowered thousands of students, faculty, and community members to approach their problems from fresh perspectives. We’ve also brought these methods beyond campus, partnering with universities, companies, and nonprofits nationwide to help them reimagine the way they tackle complex challenges.

Let’s design solutions that make life better – together.

Our Programs

Elon by Design

Elon By Design champions the design thinking process, methods and mindset across Elon’s campus. Our network facilitates the conversations and projects that shape Elon’s learning environment. As we learn and explore, we share stories about what works and why.

Learn more about Elon by Design

Design Forge

Each year, educators and thought leaders come together to discuss how we might use design thinking to address a theme in higher education. We share scholarship and playful strategies to enhance the student experience. Join us virtually in 2026 for our Forging Fridays series.

Learn more about Design Forge

Power + Place

The Power + Place Collaborative collects oral histories from members of Alamance County’s diverse communities. Elon students interview a new group of storytellers every year and share the gathered stories through discussion and video screening events.

Learn more about Power + Place

Our Process

Our design thinking process consists of 5 stages that alternate between divergent and convergent thinking. The process is not strictly linear; you may repeat several stages or start over altogether during your problem-solving journey.

Request a workshop to have one of our design thinking catalysts lead your class or team through the 5 stages of design thinking.

graphic representing the elon by design program with 5 triangles in a process diagram. Each triangle represents a different stage of the design thinking process. A scribbled line goes through the triangles and loops back over itself to signify that the process is not linear

FRAME

fall in love with the right problem

EXPLORE

listen to people, gather evidence

GENERATE

create options based on what you gathered

PROTOTYPE

test your ideas to learn and improve

CULTIVATE

choose a solution to nurture

Our History

Design thinking has always been an integral part of the Elon University experience; we just didn’t always know what to call it.

Elon faculty and staff have pursued design-related research, curriculum, and activities daily across campus: in classrooms, studios, and even the Maker Hub. Elon 101 professors, as well as Entrepreneurship faculty, had begun to incorporate design patterns into curriculums, and four faculty members worked long hours to deliver the Design Studio for Social Innovation, a 16-unit, team-taught course offered in a studio environment.

Seeing this emerging pattern, Provost Steven House called a committee of deans, students and faculty members to investigate the potential directions for the initiative. Those efforts drew the attention of Trustee Cindy Citrone and led to a gift from her and her husband Rob to launch Elon By Design, the original design-thinking program initially led by Dawan Stanford. In 2019, Danielle Lake joined Elon as the Director of Design Thinking, leading Elon by Design and the Center for Design Thinking.