Directions

Think of a current consumer need or desire that you would like to address, preferably one that can be addressed with a product or a service. It could be your own, your friends', families' or any other person. Examples include a portable water purifier, a wireless charging device, cellphone batteries that last for 1 week without charging, more affordable healthy food, on-demand cleaning, and cooking service, instant make-up, self-cooking noodles, etc.

After you determine what to work on, complete the following steps. You may choose to make a mind map using paper and pen or an online tool such asCoggle.it (Links to an external site.)

Check out the gallery on Coggle for mind map inspiration as well.

Step 1: Design Question

Using the data (ideas) you generated in the previous proving ground, make a mind map. Place the design question for the challenge you've selected in a circle at the center.

Step 2: Branches

Do some research on your proposed ideas to begin adding branches to your mind map. The branches should represent research or data points that support the ideas you came up while convergent/divergent thinking.

Step 3: Connections

Start drawing connections by creating theme bubbles that bring together disparate data points. These individual elements join to develop new and deeper insights. They will help define the problem(s) and develop potential ideas for solutions. In other words, you go from analysis to synthesis.

Submission

Submit evidence of the three stages (above) using your selected method noted in the directions. You may submit either a write-up or a Coggle mind map.