ClioJoelle Riffle

Clio is a toolkit to teach kids design thinking and

communication design skills through a game-like, project-

based experience.

What

Clio is a design toolkit that teaches young people design thinking and visual communication skills. It is intended to empower kids in their learning and to help them look at the world from a different perspective, one that gives them the power to make positive change. It is my belief and observation that kids learn best by doing, practicing a physical or mental task and solving a problem rather than memorizing and reciting content. I’d like to present design as a tool to acquire, synthesize, and demonstrate knowledge, in addition to exercising creativity.

Who

Clio is intended for kids in middle school and high school students who might not have access to art and design programs in their schools or communities. The kit should be able to be used in many contexts, in the home, in a community/after school program, or as part of art class curriculum. The kit can be used to supplement an existing art class or as a special project in a school/educatoin environment. I want to target this product towards kids who might be naturally inclined toward creativity and who might not consider themselves good artists because they aren’t good at drawing or painting. Clio isn’t about becoming a prodigy graphic designer or fine artist but rather to allow them to see design as a tool for change and learning.

Why

I hope that a love of design can foster a love of learning. The design process can easily be applied to learning about a topic, like social studies, history, or science. Design can help a person create their own application for something that they are learning, because they are creating solutions, whether strategic or visual. If we can put school lessons in context and allow students to perform or generate around the content, we can expect students to be more engaged in what they are learning. My hope is that the learner will bring this new found love of learning and the tools that they have learned through Clio to what they learn in school and in life.

• Empower kids to take charge through design, fostering, leardership, confidence, and teamwork skills. • Teach the basics of design that would allow a kid to design for change. — typography, composition, color, shape, etc. — techniques, methods, and media — various fields of design- graphic, interactive, product - how do these things affect/reflect purpose and meaning - communication, semiotics/coded language• Help kids find the ability to shape their educational experience. — Foster transferable visual and design thinking skills. — the power to make positive change.

What will it do?

• Hands-on, game like experience guided by a non-linear but purposeful structure. • Individual, interconnected activities and projects - implement/propose• Short readings/resources to introduce various areas that require social change — local/community — state — national — global• Materials, utensils, and media for use in the project.• A web app/interactive online network to connect users, share and critique and discuss.

How

Methods and Techniques

Social Design Topics Skills

collageprintmaking paper modelspainting/color compositions lettering photographypublication and layouts

food and water accesshungerpovertyhealth and medicineeducationclimate changeconservationsocial entrepreneurshipwaste & recyclingenvironmental sustainabilitygender and race equityenergycommunity development

brainstormingobservationresearchdesigning/prototypingimplementing designs

…color theorytypography and letteringcompositionimage making

Components

August September October November December• Began conceptualizing

project and exploring interests.

• Researched learning and education.

• Mind-mapped and brain-stormed initial concepts.

• Presented first project ideas to class and re-ceived positive and critical feedback.

• Choose design and learning as the theme of my project; choose the “toolkit” concept.

• Conducted, filmed, and edited interviews of friends.

• Researched precedents for design and learning.

• Researched visual inspira-tion and choose a visual language.

• Prototyped first rough kit materials with newsprint and blue tape.

• Read and researched on learning, education, and art/design.

• Began writing about project and decided on learning objectives for the toolkit.

• Researched further read-ings.

• Interviewed my mother about learning and schools.

• Developed a survey for students and educators.

• Gave second, more devel-oped thesis presentation.

• Began weekly target audience immersion with 3-5th grade foundations course.

• Researched demographic of target audience, such as what they study in school and what games they play.

• Began visual explorations of logo, patterns, and other graphics.

• Prototyped intro book, dictionary, flipcards, and kit case.

• Wrote content for and prototyped field trip guide.

• Wrote a one page pro-posal for thesis project.

• Developed a compre-hensive timeline for the remainder of the project.

• Prototyped the calendar and scorecard materials.

• Contacted potential experts and educators to speak with.

• Interviewed faculty Mariah Doren.

• Developed a one-page project description hand-out.

• Developed and distributed a survey to parents.

• Interviewed iSchool design methods teacher Christina Jenkins.

• Designed kit case/calen-dar concept.

• Interviewed art teacher Elizabeth Traina.

• Began developing ac-tivities and projects that would be included in kit.

• Redesigned intro booklet prototype.

• Reflected on semester’s work.

• Designed activity cards and project icons.

Process

August September October November December• Began conceptualizing

project and exploring interests.

• Researched learning and education.

• Mind-mapped and brain-stormed initial concepts.

• Presented first project ideas to class and re-ceived positive and critical feedback.

• Choose design and learning as the theme of my project; choose the “toolkit” concept.

• Conducted, filmed, and edited interviews of friends.

• Researched precedents for design and learning.

• Researched visual inspira-tion and choose a visual language.

• Prototyped first rough kit materials with newsprint and blue tape.

• Read and researched on learning, education, and art/design.

• Began writing about project and decided on learning objectives for the toolkit.

• Researched further read-ings.

• Interviewed my mother about learning and schools.

• Developed a survey for students and educators.

• Gave second, more devel-oped thesis presentation.

• Began weekly target audience immersion with 3-5th grade foundations course.

• Researched demographic of target audience, such as what they study in school and what games they play.

• Began visual explorations of logo, patterns, and other graphics.

• Prototyped intro book, dictionary, flipcards, and kit case.

• Wrote content for and prototyped field trip guide.

• Wrote a one page pro-posal for thesis project.

• Developed a compre-hensive timeline for the remainder of the project.

• Prototyped the calendar and scorecard materials.

• Contacted potential experts and educators to speak with.

• Interviewed faculty Mariah Doren.

• Developed a one-page project description hand-out.

• Developed and distributed a survey to parents.

• Interviewed iSchool design methods teacher Christina Jenkins.

• Designed kit case/calen-dar concept.

• Interviewed art teacher Elizabeth Traina.

• Began developing ac-tivities and projects that would be included in kit.

• Redesigned intro booklet prototype.

• Reflected on semester’s work.

• Designed activity cards and project icons.

Process

August September October November December• Began conceptualizing

project and exploring interests.

• Researched learning and education.

• Mind-mapped and brain-stormed initial concepts.

• Presented first project ideas to class and re-ceived positive and critical feedback.

• Choose design and learning as the theme of my project; choose the “toolkit” concept.

• Conducted, filmed, and edited interviews of friends.

• Researched precedents for design and learning.

• Researched visual inspira-tion and choose a visual language.

• Prototyped first rough kit materials with newsprint and blue tape.

• Read and researched on learning, education, and art/design.

• Began writing about project and decided on learning objectives for the toolkit.

• Researched further read-ings.

• Interviewed my mother about learning and schools.

• Developed a survey for students and educators.

• Gave second, more devel-oped thesis presentation.

• Began weekly target audience immersion with 3-5th grade foundations course.

• Researched demographic of target audience, such as what they study in school and what games they play.

• Began visual explorations of logo, patterns, and other graphics.

• Prototyped intro book, dictionary, flipcards, and kit case.

• Wrote content for and prototyped field trip guide.

• Wrote a one page pro-posal for thesis project.

• Developed a compre-hensive timeline for the remainder of the project.

• Prototyped the calendar and scorecard materials.

• Contacted potential experts and educators to speak with.

• Interviewed faculty Mariah Doren.

• Developed a one-page project description hand-out.

• Developed and distributed a survey to parents.

• Interviewed iSchool design methods teacher Christina Jenkins.

• Designed kit case/calen-dar concept.

• Interviewed art teacher Elizabeth Traina.

• Began developing ac-tivities and projects that would be included in kit.

• Redesigned intro booklet prototype.

• Reflected on semester’s work.

• Designed activity cards and project icons.

Process

August September October November December• Began conceptualizing

project and exploring interests.

• Researched learning and education.

• Mind-mapped and brain-stormed initial concepts.

• Presented first project ideas to class and re-ceived positive and critical feedback.

• Choose design and learning as the theme of my project; choose the “toolkit” concept.

• Conducted, filmed, and edited interviews of friends.

• Researched precedents for design and learning.

• Researched visual inspira-tion and choose a visual language.

• Prototyped first rough kit materials with newsprint and blue tape.

• Read and researched on learning, education, and art/design.

• Began writing about project and decided on learning objectives for the toolkit.

• Researched further read-ings.

• Interviewed my mother about learning and schools.

• Developed a survey for students and educators.

• Gave second, more devel-oped thesis presentation.

• Began weekly target audience immersion with 3-5th grade foundations course.

• Researched demographic of target audience, such as what they study in school and what games they play.

• Began visual explorations of logo, patterns, and other graphics.

• Prototyped intro book, dictionary, flipcards, and kit case.

• Wrote content for and prototyped field trip guide.

• Wrote a one page pro-posal for thesis project.

• Developed a compre-hensive timeline for the remainder of the project.

• Prototyped the calendar and scorecard materials.

• Contacted potential experts and educators to speak with.

• Interviewed faculty Mariah Doren.

• Developed a one-page project description hand-out.

• Developed and distributed a survey to parents.

• Interviewed iSchool design methods teacher Christina Jenkins.

• Designed kit case/calen-dar concept.

• Interviewed art teacher Elizabeth Traina.

• Began developing ac-tivities and projects that would be included in kit.

• Redesigned intro booklet prototype.

• Reflected on semester’s work.

• Designed activity cards and project icons.

Process

August September October November December• Began conceptualizing

project and exploring interests.

• Researched learning and education.

• Mind-mapped and brain-stormed initial concepts.

• Presented first project ideas to class and re-ceived positive and critical feedback.

• Choose design and learning as the theme of my project; choose the “toolkit” concept.

• Conducted, filmed, and edited interviews of friends.

• Researched precedents for design and learning.

• Researched visual inspira-tion and choose a visual language.

• Prototyped first rough kit materials with newsprint and blue tape.

• Read and researched on learning, education, and art/design.

• Began writing about project and decided on learning objectives for the toolkit.

• Researched further read-ings.

• Interviewed my mother about learning and schools.

• Developed a survey for students and educators.

• Gave second, more devel-oped thesis presentation.

• Began weekly target audience immersion with 3-5th grade foundations course.

• Researched demographic of target audience, such as what they study in school and what games they play.

• Began visual explorations of logo, patterns, and other graphics.

• Prototyped intro book, dictionary, flipcards, and kit case.

• Wrote content for and prototyped field trip guide.

• Wrote a one page pro-posal for thesis project.

• Developed a compre-hensive timeline for the remainder of the project.

• Prototyped the calendar and scorecard materials.

• Contacted potential experts and educators to speak with.

• Interviewed faculty Mariah Doren.

• Developed a one-page project description hand-out.

• Developed and distributed a survey to parents.

• Interviewed iSchool design methods teacher Christina Jenkins.

• Designed kit case/calen-dar concept.

• Interviewed art teacher Elizabeth Traina.

• Began developing ac-tivities and projects that would be included in kit.

• Redesigned intro booklet prototype.

• Reflected on semester’s work.

• Designed activity cards and project icons.

Process

Current Prototypes

Design Process Wheel pieces. An idea about how to explain the design process to the target audience for the purpose of the project. I have since made the decision to bury the idea of the design process in the underlying structure of the projects.Intro booklet. A guide that will introduce the user to the project. Has evolved into a more conversational, banner-like fold out piece.Design Dictionary. A short glossary of terms that the user might need to know while using Clio.Field Trip Guide. A booklet with project prompts for various places the user might visit, such as grocery stores and museums.

Design Dictionary interior. An interior spread of the dictionary. I’ve found the terms I’ve included problematic, as they come from a very specific, potentially irrelevant point of view.Design Brief Flipcards. A “mad libs” inspired tool that would expose the user to new artists/designers, media, and design objects and fields. I have since moved away from this “Graphic Design 101” approach to the project and towards a design-thinking model. Design Process Wheel. An early exploration of describing the design process.What Do You Want to Make. A defunct prototype exploring the idea of project prompts.

NowWinter Break

Finalize kit contents.Test kit and activities on

target audience and others.Begin visual and materials

explorations.

Acquire materials needed to construct kit.

Produce and construction kit elements and case.

Develop presentation and display for final project.

Research means of mass production and marketing.Explore funding options.Market, produce, sell, and

distribute kit to consumers.

Spring 2013 Summer 2013 and beyond

Then Later

What’s next?

Thank You!