Leaders in innovation and entrepreneurship from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) and the University of Colorado (CU) system visited Stanford University’s Design School, also known as d.school, to study its teaching methods. The visit took place during a weeklong workshop this past summer in Palo Alto, California.
The CU delegation was led by Benjamin Kwitek, Ph.D., director of innovation and co-founder of C3 Innovation at UCCS. Other participants included Carolyn Gery, Ed.D., Gail Richards, M.S., both faculty members from the Innovation Program, and Ashley Taylor Tillman, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative director for the CU system.
“David Kelly, the founder of the d.school, was right when he said, ‘Belief in your creative capacity lies at the heart of innovation,’” Kwitek said. “In a world increasingly dominated by AI, the human creativity factor needs to be emphasized. We are not robots or the Tin Man in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ – our faculty, staff and students have hearts.”
Ashley Taylor Tillman previously worked for IDEO, a product design firm linked to Stanford’s d.school. She noted that “Design thinking is centered on empathy and understanding the user,” adding that “CU students have incredible ideas and potential that can be unlocked to solve problems and produce innovative solutions.”
Universities from across the United States and abroad also attended the workshop. Participants included representatives from Maryland, Michigan Tech, New York University, Rutgers and Utah.
Kwitek described CU as one of “the leading hubs for innovation in the world.” He stated: “We need to make sure we continue to learn from the best to increase our edge and fuel the economic vitality of Colorado and beyond.”
The workshop focused on principles such as noticing problems in products or services, making sense out of ambiguous situations through teamwork, and experimenting with prototypes or new ideas. Activities included listening circles, silent teamwork exercises, prototyping with simple materials like elementary school supplies, and even participating in a makeshift disco event led by DJ Lamont.
Gail Richards commented on how this activity related to design thinking: “It was the perfect exercise in tuning into the people around you, paying attention and responding based on what you learn.”
The group plans to apply insights gained at Stanford toward revising courses within UCCS’s Bachelor of Innovation core curriculum.
Carolyn Gery emphasized adaptability in education: “Our students today were practically born with a smartphone in their hands,” she said. “We need to ensure we provide education that is dynamic and relevant.”
For more information about these initiatives or future projects inspired by their experience at Stanford’s d.school workshop, interested parties are encouraged to contact Benjamin Kwitek or Ashley Tillman.
