d.school
read in Turkish
Christmas at Stanford
When I visited Bernard Roth at Stanford University, it was Christmas time. California's gentle climate seemed to be mocking the idea of winter. The sweet hustle and bustle of the holiday season in San Francisco had given way to silence in Palo Alto; the university campus appeared almost deserted. As we drove along, I was captivated by the modern houses designed by a student of the celebrated architect Frank Lloyd Wright- the real estate developer Joseph Eichler. Eichler, drawing inspiration from Wright, utilized eco-friendly materials to build affordable homes for middle-class Americans without compromising on elegance. For me, California, was synonymous with the modern houses I couldn't get enough of in the decoration magazines of the 70s. Later, I would discover that this architectural style was called "California Modernism," which emerged after World War II.
The founding of Stanford University made me contemplate how the absence of certain things can lead to auspicious events. In the 19th century, Senator Leland Stanford, who made his fortune through the construction of the transcontinental railroad connecting the East and West coasts, established a university that aimed to provide quality and free education, following the tragic loss of his only son, Leland Jr., to typhoid fever. In honor of their beloved son's memory, Stanford and his wife named the university after him and generously donated the land where their farms once stood, stating, "All the children of California are now our children."
Silicon Valley
How do we define Silicon Valley, the birthplace of information technology? This region sprawls across Santa Clara Valley, situated 40 miles south of San Francisco. Instead of envisioning it with strict physical boundaries, let's view it as a concept and explore the three key players that breathe life into it: Firstly, F. Terman, the visionary behind Stanford Industrial Park, who encouraged Stanford students and educators to embark on their entrepreneurial journeys; secondly, Nobel Prize-winning physicist W. Shockley, who revolutionized chip technology using silicon; and, of course, the venture capitalists who infused capital into the realm of dreaming and innovation. If we were to make a list of leading IT companies like HP, Yahoo, Google, FB, which are at the core of our lives and are based in Silicon Valley, it would go far beyond our knowledge of plant names. In a way, Stanford is the very raison d'être of Silicon Valley. Furthermore, being at the heart of this technological hub provides Stanford with abundant opportunities to collaborate with numerous graduate professionals in the field. Their interaction fostering a dynamic and innovative environment, appears to epitomize the spirit that defines California—a true win-win situation!
Now it’s d.school time!
When contemporary design education comes to mind, it's hard not to think of the d.school. Founded in 2005 at Stanford, it rose to prominence as one of the most sought-after design programs, renowned for its innovative approaches. The nickname "d.school" originates from the first letter of the word "design," encapsulating its essence. Remarkably, in the past year, over a thousand students from diverse departments, including Engineering, Medicine, and Business, enrolled in one of the 42 courses offered, proving the remarkable growth of d.school. The Wall Street Journal's headline "Forget B-School, D-School Is Hot" is a testament to its well-deserved acclaim.
Having met with Bernard Roth at Stanford, I’ve found the opportunity to ask him all the questions I had in mind about the d.school. Interestingly, the name "d.school" is written in lowercase, which reflects its underlying philosophy. Roth, one of the founders and the Academic Director of the institute, revealed that the roots of d.school can be traced back to the Product Design program—a collaborative program between the Mechanical Engineering and Fine Arts Department—first introduced in 1962. As time progressed, the year 2000 brought with it the realization that the "learning by doing" approach, originally applied in product design, held immense potential when extended to diverse and unrelated fields. A group of seven professors engaged in brainstorming sessions to create a program that could be offered to students from all departments, and in 2003, they brought this idea to life with the opening of the first course. Thanks to the generous contributions from Hasso Plattner, the co-founder of the SAP software company and the namesake of the institute, the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design At Stanford, (aka the d.school), was established in 2005.
The d.school is not merely confined to a physical location; it represents a mindset and a community, making it possible for people to establish their own d.school somewhere in the future. At the heart of the d.school approach lies the concept of learning by actively engaging with real-life challenges. Through project-based courses, Roth asserts that these initiatives have not only given rise to numerous new companies but have also positively impacted the lives of over a hundred million people, thanks to the innovative solutions crafted by students.
What sets the d.school apart from other design programs? Is it their innovative approach, group-focused work, team-taught courses, interdisciplinary bridges, or the flexibility that allows for experimentation, risk-taking, and learning from failure? Well, it's all of the above and more.
Unlike traditional design schools that primarily focus on product design, d.school places a profound emphasis on human-centered design, setting a new milestone in this field.
Design thinking
The concept of "Design Thinking," which forms the core of d.school's teachings, is a methodology proposed for creative problem-solving. It is defined as a creative process that unfolds through empathy, problem definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing with feedback. These principles are not limited to product design but can be applied to any challenge we encounter in our personal development, relationships, business endeavors, or beyond. Whether you are an educator in the field of education, a healthcare professional, or a corporate executive, you can benefit immensely from this methodology. Embracing a holistic approach that draws inspiration from diverse fields, it encourages fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. Ultimately, the philosophy of design thinking seeks to unleash the creative potential within each of us, igniting the spirit of the imaginative child that resides in our hearts!
Achievement Habit
Bernard Roth, an engineer and educator with a background in Robotics and Kinematics, has been teaching at Stanford since the 1960s. Among his notable contributions are his course "The Designer in Society," a Creativity Workshop serving diverse participants worldwide, and his co-founding of the d.school. Yet, his ambitions don't stop there. He authored "The Achievement Habit," a book published in 2016, which seeks to cultivate success as a daily practice through the principles of Design Thinking. Unlike the plethora of typical self-help books saturating the New Age world, Roth's work stands out as a refreshing and practical guide.
Roth says, 'My primary concern is that when we insist on scientific accuracy, we undervalue our personal wisdom sources.' This perspective carries immense value, especially coming from an experienced educator. Upon revisiting his book for a second time, I couldn't help but reminisce about my time in class and how much I miss being a teacher. The d.school's commitment to interdisciplinary education breathes new life into the concept of learning, embracing a holistic approach. The idea of reshaping education to address real-life challenges appears almost like a dream come true. Here's a mini interview with Roth.
Let’s get it done!
“Success” is one of the most hyped concepts of our time. What is the definition of success in the context of your book, “The Achievement Habit”?
By success and achievement, I mean having a good life in an existential sense. I do not mean becoming the king or queen of the universe. In my book, I define achievement as having a good life; getting the job of living done in a satisfying way that nurtures the life force within us and within those we associate with. It entails developing some self-mastery to handle the difficult aspects of our lives and relationships. It involves finding something to do with our lives that engages us and gives us positive feedback. If we’re doing it right, life shouldn’t be a debilitating struggle, even if at times it takes considerable effort. I often say, a good measure of success is if your friends do not have to lie when they eulogize you at your funeral.
Would you call your book a “self-help” book? If so, how would it help one?
Yes, I would call it a self-help book. There are many things in the book that people tell me they find very useful. The book gives the reader tools to change their actual behaviors and world view. The three top tools readers tell me about are: They get useful ways to solve problems that assist them when they feel stuck. They realize how to stop using reasons in a way that defeats their ability to get things done. They experience the difference between trying to do something and actually doing it.
What is one of the most memorable “success stories” that came out from design thinking?
In my book I mention some of the d.school’s most successful projects. Specifically, there are two projects from our Design for Extreme Affordability class. One is a for-profit company called d.light that invented very affordable solar powered LED lamps. The other is a non-profit company called Embrace that invented a very inexpensive way to keep premature babies warm (and alive) without needing to rely on electricity. My own personal favorite is Juntos Finanzas, a company, which had its roots in my Transformative Design class, that enables poor people around the world to have access to banking services.
Is there any concept that has become a part of our lives thanks to d.school but we somehow take it for granted? For instance, can we attribute the concept of 'Open Office' to d.school?
It is difficult to know who did what first. Certainly, the d.school has been a leader in many of the ways people work in Silicon Valley and around the world. We are one of the institutions that popularized design thinking and assisted in bringing it into k-12 and university education, and into major corporations as well as start-ups. We popularized the use of open workspaces and collaboration between diverse professions and also professional and lay people. Mainly, I would say we were part of the movement that showed that the ideas and tools of human-centered design have applicability as a problem-solving tool in almost any domain.
* Hillsider Magazine # 95, Winter 2020