Design Thinking and Innovation

for Grade 6 / 7 / 8
FAQs and Introduction
2022

CBSE, New Delhi

1 - Page FAQs & Introduction to Design Thinking & Innovation Curriculum CBSE 2022
 FAQs and Introduction to Design Thinking and
Innovation Curriculum in Schools
2022

1.0 Introduction to Design Thinking and Innovation in

Schools:
1.1 What is Design?
1.2 Who is a Designer?
1.3 What is Design Thinking?
1.4 What is design Thinking Process
1.5 Who is a Design Thinker?
1.6 What is Design Innovation?
1.7 Why should a student opt for this curriculum?
1.8 What areas or specialisations of design can one pursue?

2.0 Aims and Objectives of Design Thinking and Innovation

Curriculum:
2.1 What is the overall vision and aims of Design Thinking and innovation
Curriculum?
2.2 What are the learning objectives and competencies of Design
Thinking and innovation Curriculum?
2.3 How does the focus of the curriculum change from grade 6 to grade 12?
2.4 Which student can opt for Design Thinking and Innovation curriculum?

3.0 Implementing Design Thinking and Innovation in Schools:

3.1 How is the content for Design Thinking and Innovation made
available?
3.2 How will Design Thinking and Innovation be implemented in Schools?
3.3 How is Design Thinking and Innovation taught and assessed in
schools?
3.4 What infrastructure do schools need for conducting Design Thinking and
innovation classes?
3.5 Who will be the Design Thinking and Innovation specialist at your school?
3.6 What will the impact of implementing Design Thinking and Innovation
curriculum in Schools?

4.0 References

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1.0 Introduction to Design Thinking and
Innovation in Schools:

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1.1 To understand what is design, let’s look at quotes by designers:
What is Design?
“Design is solution to a problem”
- John Maeda, Designer and Teacher

“Essentials of design are- purity, precision, details ”

- Prof. Sudhakar Nadkarni, Designer and Teacher

“Design is thinking made visual”

- Saul Bass, Graphic Designer

“Design is plan for arranging elements in such a

way as best to accomplish a particular purpose ”
- Charles Eames, Designer and Film Maker

“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like.

Design is how it works.”
- Steve Jobs, Designer and Businessman

In a nutshell, design is about understanding needs and being sensitive to

issues, identifying problems that need to be solved, creating innovative
appropriate solutions, considering aspects of sustainability such that it
makes a positive difference to life on our universe.
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1.2 A designer is a highly creative person who enjoys solving problems. A
Who is a Designer? designer also needs to be a sensitive human being empathetic to issues and
problems.
As a designer, you will learn to identify problems, think of a creative
solution to solve it and show and demonstrate how this can be done such
that it adds value to peoples’ lives. (Ref: 2)
Design is part of the creative industry and has many options for you to
pursue, such as: Communication/Graphic Design, Product Design,
Animation Design, Automobile Design, Architecture Design, Environmental
Design, Digital Design, Textile/Fashion Design, and such.
So, if you are looking for something which will give the creative streak in
you an outlet and also provide you with innovative problem-solving skills,
design may be the option for you.
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1.3 One can understand Design Thinking as a method to solve problems using a
What is Design Thinking? process.
A process that first understands user’s needs, identifies and analyses a
problem, and research relevant information, after which ideas are explored
and analyzed, until an appropriate innovative solution to the problem or
need is arrived at.
Hence Design Thinking could be viewed as the process that translates an
3 - Page FAQs & Introduction to Design Thinking & Innovation Curriculum CBSE 2022
 idea into a blueprint for something useful, whether it’s a vehicle, a building,
a graphic, a service or a system. (Ref: 2)
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1.4 It involves these following five phases in the process of solving a problem:
What is the design 1. Observe/Empathize/Research,
Thinking Process? - the first phase helps you to identify needs and locate issues to be solved
through observation and empathy
2. Understand/Analyse/Define,
- this phase of the process helps you to understand, define and analyse the
problem area
3. Ideate/Alternate/Create,
- this phase helps you to come out with several alternate creative
innovative solutions to the problem
4. Build/Prototype/Detail and
- this phase helps you to actualize the solution by building mock-ups,
creating scenarios and then prototyping and detailing
5. Evaluate/Reflect/Implement
- the last phase is to get feedback through evaluation so that the
suggestions can be implemented in the final solution.

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1.5 A Designer Thinker is a person who applies the Design Thinking process to
Who is a Design Thinker? solve problems and finding an creative innovative solution in any field or
domain. For example, you could apply Design Thinking to solve problems in
arts, social sciences, law, medicine, engineering, business, etc. It could even
be applied to solve problems at home or in your neighbourhoods or your
place of work. If everyone could adopt this method to solve problems then
we would be moving towards a creative society which finds solutions to
many of its problems.

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1.6 Innovation involves implementation of something new and replacing or
4 - Page FAQs & Introduction to Design Thinking & Innovation Curriculum CBSE 2022
What is Design Innovation? reframing of the existing mindset. It is about translating a concept, idea,
thought or invention into artefacts and services that creates value to life. It
is the process of transforming ideas into commercial reality. Innovation
plays a major role in society. It helps us cater to the needs of people that
arise from constant physical and emotional changes. It helps identify the
crucial applications of technology and scientific inventions.

As compared to Innovation, Invention happens once in a while. However,

each Invention may produce millions of Innovative Products – like the
invention of Wheel has produced and continues to produce Innovative
Products for the benefit of mankind. Innovation is in how an invention can
be used to solve problems. Hence, Design pursues Creativity of Innovation.

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1.6 Design Thinking and Innovation will assume an ever more important role to
Why should a student opt play in the future of our world. This will help address, identify and solve
for this curriculum? problems creatively whatever the field or specialization. It should be useful
to find solutions to issues both within one’s own neighborhoods and to
issues at a national or global level. It will also be a useful tool for us to move
towards a creative economy in the coming years.
So if you would like to be part of this creative innovative practice, do opt for
this subject.

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1.7 Design today is everywhere. It's driving businesses, cultures, media and
What areas or technology and making sure environments (virtual or real) are easier to
specializations of design navigate. Design is integral to the creative industries and is part of the
can one pursue? economy driven through creativity and innovation. We could categorize the
following as broad fields of design which imbibe various specializations
within themselves. These are some of the options for you to pursue as part
of your future studies or as a carrier option:
• Communication design (Animation, Publication Design, Web Design,
Graphics Design, Printing, Film and Video)
• Spatial design (Architecture and Interior Design, Environmental Design,
Exhibition Design, Set Design, Signage Design)
• Industrial Design (Transportation, Furniture, Ceramics, Products and
Packaging)
• Textiles Design (Fashion, Accessories, Jewellery)
• Craft Design (Material Based, Technology based)
• Digital design (User experience design, User Interface design, New Media
Design, Game Design, AR/VR/MR, Information Visualisation)
• Service Design (Social Services, Health and Wellness Services, Agriculture
Services, Public Services)
• Design management (Design Policy, Design Strategy, Design Planning,
Transformation Design)

5 - Page FAQs & Introduction to Design Thinking & Innovation Curriculum CBSE 2022
2.0 Aims and Objectives of Design Thinking and
Innovation Curriculum:

___
2.1 The overall vision of DT&I curriculum is to be able to instill the following in
What is the overall vision the students:
and aims of Design • Students should be able to explore their sensory abilities, cognitive
Thinking and innovation abilities, and social abilities
Curriculum? • It should create awareness in the students through observation,
discovery, analysis, experience, collaboration, and reflection
• It should nurture their curiosity and enhance their explorative abilities
• It should foster creativity and innovation in students
• The students should be able to identify problems and be able to find
solutions
• They should be able to apply design thinking process and methods to
solve various problems
• They should be able to learn the fundamentals/essentials of creative
design discipline
• The focus is more on hands-on knowledge learnt by doing, exploring and
acting upon challenges discovered within their surroundings

• In addition, DT&I will promote socially responsible practice through

enlightening the students with ways to solve problems within the
Sustainable Development Goals as mentioned by the United Nations.
• The course will also help students derive culturally-rooted understanding
of design from information documented under the Indian Knowledge
Systems.
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2.2 The students should be able to do the following after taking the DT&I
What are the learning modules:
objectives and • The students will enhance their observation skills and build empathy for
competencies of Design issues and problems concerning users and our environment
Thinking and innovation • The students will improve their communication skills to be able to make
Curriculum? presentations and defend their ideas and thinking with confidence
• This curriculum will bring in sensitivity to various aspects of design
• The students will be able to identify potential problems and be able to
understand and analyse them
• The students will learn to explore creative innovative alternatives as
possible solutions
• The students will learn how to create solution scenario, make mock-ups
and build prototypes
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2.3 The focus of the curriculum for the different grades are as follows:
How does the focus of the • Grade 6/7/8:
curriculum change from - Focus on exposure and discovery
grade 6 to grade 12? During Grade 6/7/8 the students get an initial short exposure to Design
Skills, Design Sensitvity and Design Thinking Process with the main aim of
creating an interest in this field.
• Grade 9:

6 - Page FAQs & Introduction to Design Thinking & Innovation Curriculum CBSE 2022
 - Focus on concerns, skills and sensitivity
During Grade 9, it involves learning of Design Skills, Building Empathy with
Analysis and application of Design Thinking Process to simple Problem
Solving.
• Grade 10:
- Focus on creativity and problem solving
Grade 10 involves further learning of Design Skills, discovery through
Creative Explorations, Prototyping and application of Design Thinking
Process to Contextual Problems.
• Grade 11:
- Focus on design options and solving problems together
Grade 11 will introduce students to different fields/branches of Design and
Design Thinking Process involving projects solving Wicked Problems. They
learn to work collaboratively and discover how to start a Design Enterprise.
• Grade 12:
- Focus on application and execution
in Grade 12, the students will be able to apply Design Problem Solving to
different Environments followed by a Semester long Design Thinking
Process Capstone Project where they will get a chance to implement all that
they have learnt during the Design Thinking and innovation curriculum.
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2.4 Design Thinking and innovation is open to all students who would like to
Which student can opt for learn about this field.
Design Thinking and It is being introduced as part of the skill subject as per the mandates of the
Innovation curriculum? National Education Policy 2020.
The curriculum can also be adapted to the needs of the children with
disability.

7 - Page FAQs & Introduction to Design Thinking & Innovation Curriculum CBSE 2022
3.0 Implementing Design Thinking and Innovation
in Schools:

___ The content for the Design Thinking and Innovation curriculum is made
3.1 available through these four documents which will be available online.
How is the content for
Design Thinking and
Innovation made 1 2 3 4
available? FAQs & Student Exposure Teacher’s
Introduction Task-book Slides Manual

1. FAQs and Introduction

This document will provide an introduction to Design Thinking and
innovation as well as answer all the frequently asked questions regarding
this new subject in the school curriculum
2. Workbook
This will comprise of an introduction to the subject, its vision, learning
objectives and competencies, the tasks to be done, grading criteria,
assessment matrix, Feedback forms and references
3 Exposure Slides/Video
Each of the modules will be supported by exposure slides or video that can
be accessed by both the teacher and the students.
4. Teacher’s Manual
This will have more details on teaching methods, aims and objectives, task
sequence flow, task details, assessment matrix for grading and evaluation
forms for feedback.

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3.2 DT&I will be implemented from Grade 6 till Grade 12. In Grades 6, 7, 8 the
How will Design Thinking students will get an initial exposure to DT&I for a duration of 18-20 hours
and Innovation be such that it can create an interest in this field, nurture their sense of
implemented in Schools? curiosity, motivate them to explore, experiment and take it up as a subject
to pursue from Grade 9 onwards. From Grade 9 till Grade 12, DT&I will be
introduced as a regular subject comprising of various related modules with
duration of 160 hours for each grade. The recommended duration of
contact hours is 2:1 between school hours and home hours.
All CBSE schools are eligible to introduce DT&I as part of their curriculum.

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3.3 DT&I learning involves playful joyful immersive experiences. The students
How is Design Thinking and learn through experiential, exploratory, do-it-and-learn methods. They
Innovation taught and learn by solving contextual problems. They will explore and experiment
assessed in schools? creative options. The students will work together, collaborate and
cooperate while finding solutions. The classrooms will become studios
where they can explore different materials and processes. The teacher will
be like a mentor who supports the students in the learning and doing
process.
It is recommended that 3 periods of 40 minutes each be combined together

8 - Page FAQs & Introduction to Design Thinking & Innovation Curriculum CBSE 2022
 into 2 hour duration for the DT&I classes such that it gives sufficient time to
solve the given task.
The learning happens through exposure to the subject, solving
problems/tasks defined in the workbook, discussions and presentations.
The assessment is through continuously assessing the performance of
work/tasks carried out by the students throughout the academic year. The
criteria for assessment are defined in the workbook for each of the tasks.

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3.4 The curriculum has been structured such that DT&I can be taught in schools
What infrastructure do in normal classrooms. Provision should be made for students to work
schools need for together in groups of 2 to 4. Arrangements should be made to put up the
conducting Design student’s work on the walls of the classrooms to facilitate discussions as
Thinking and innovation well as for the presentation of the work.
classes? Computer facility and access to the internet will be helpful but is not a
must. For schools without access to the internet, the Workbooks, Teacher’s
Manual, and the Exposure Content can be made available physically
through printouts.
The Design Thinking and Innovation curriculum is easy to understand and
deliver for teachers. And, it can be taught in remote locations with limited
resources and knowledge.

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3.5 It is best to train your existing teacher to implement the Design Thinking
Who will be the Design and Innovation curriculum in your school. The Teacher’s Manual is made
Thinking and Innovation available in order to facilitate and support this activity.
specialist at your school? CBSE will be providing training to teachers of the schools.
The DT&I course will be made easy to understand and deliver even with
limited resources. This will facilitate teachers located in remote areas.

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3.6 This subject will impact in the following ways:
What will the impact of • The Design thinking Process will impact all aspects of Schools including
implementing Design innovative thinking of teachers
Thinking and Innovation • This will help a large number of schools who already have Atal Tinkering
curriculum in Schools? Lab and need to integrate this process for productive outcomes.
• This will help to ensure focused utilization of various government
schemes and policies towards design and innovation

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4.0 References

Reference 1: https://dsource.in/resource/quotes
Reference 2: http://designindia.net/institutions/design-information/design-
questions

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