Engineering Students Put Empathy Before Design

"Who are you designing for and why?" were exciting points of entry for Senior Capstone Project students from the School of Engineering and Technology (SET) at UW Tacoma. 

In two high-energy workshops on October 17 and November 7, 2024 in the Global Innovation and Design (GID) Lab, students in Dr. Mark Pagano's class were oriented to human-centered design to center the experience of the user, in their approach to industry projects. Pagano opened the sessions noting that the very building that housed the GID Lab, was produced through the design thinking process. 

Lead facilitator for the workshops Dr. Divya McMillin emphasized the importance of “putting people before the problem," urging participants to focus on the real need behind product innovation. She guided the discussion into an "innovation mindset," sparking conversations with students around inventive shortcuts and hacks—like using a potato to unscrew a lightbulb—that simplify daily tasks. Her talk inspired students to think about design as a means to find the next opportunity for positive change.

Integrating global case studies of innovation throughout, the workshops laid a strong foundation in design thinking, pushing students to start with people and end with purposeful solutions, equipping them with skills that extend far beyond the capstone project.

All students trained through the GID Lab have the opportunity to present at the Institute for Innovation and Global Engagement's Global Engagement Conference (GEC) on May 21, 2025, and earn a Digital Badge in Design Thinking.

Assisting the GID Lab in the workshop were GID Lab Interns Jack Cheung, Anuvir Dhaliwal, and Maria Villa, and Program Coordinator Maria Babko.