Teaching Design within Constraints: Lessons Learned

A couple of months ago (which now seems like eons ago), we retreated into our homes, in response to the pandemic. This was in addition to the many other protective measures, such as wearing masks, physical distancing, and regularly washing hands - the last should have been happening, regardless of prevailing health conditions!

The coronavirus has changed how we live, work, and learn, and I don't know if we'll ever go back to the way things were. That said, I don't think everything in "the way things were" is worth going back to - there are elements in our current adaptation of life that are worth holding on to, even when the world hopefully heals from the pandemic.

We are all currently designing in tension. And will be, for a long time.

— rufflemuffin (@rufflemuffin) September 21, 2020

One of the biggest impacts for me has been the shift to distance learning (here are my earlier insights from teaching design within constraints). This hasn't been an easy transition for anybody, and there are things that are frustrating for both, students and educators. This has required massive adjustments from both sides of the learning experience, and for me, it's meant being even more attentive to differing perspectives. While I'm doing the best I can for my students, it sometimes feels like there's a ton of learning on my side too, and thought I would share some more of the nuggets I've come across along the way.

• It's not business as usual. This pandemic is hard on everyone, but acting as if it's business as usual is the wrong way to go about it. We need to constantly adapt in response to changing circumstances, covidiots, rising cases (often due to the covidiots), burnout, etc. - it's a lot more than we can humanly manage. It's okay to adapt our approach, assessments, readings, reviews, etc. while we try to deal with all the uncertainty and chaos.

• Be imperfect lightning! Racing at breakneck speed is not something that I'd generally advise, especially if you get shin splints like me! However, the world was already moving at a fast pace, and the pandemic just kicked it into high gear. While we had to learn to slow down and be still with ourselves, information about the coronavirus, and what we had to do to survive it was coming at an incredible speed. It felt (and continues to feel) like being in the middle of a lightning storm, with no idea of how long it's going to last. If ever there was a time for MVPs, it's now. If you've got a minimum viable product or learning experience, don't wait to perfect it - just roll it out, learn from it, and continue experimenting.

• Try, try, and try again. Since it's not business as usual, we can't just run our classes the same as pre-pandemic classes. We have to try new ways of sharing knowledge and engaging students. It's quite possible that some or all of these experiments may not go according to plan. That doesn't mean that we stop experimenting, but rather that we continue trying new things until we find something that works for us and/or the students. My class plans have gone through so many iterations, they look very different from the first version, but they have also gotten better in the process, and my students have definitely benefited from it.

• Empathy is not optional. One of the first rules of design is being human-centered, and ignoring that role in the design of a product, service, or experience can have disastrous consequences. I got news for you - that rule isn't just for design; it works well for human interactions too! Take a moment to step back and see things from other people's perspective. I'm not saying we should ourselves last, but exercising empathy helps makes us a little more patient with each other

• Be honest. I take my role as an educator very seriously, and I see it as my responsibility to not just share knowledge with and inspire my students, but also give them a sense of normalcy amidst all the chaos. I strive to make my class a safe and happy space for my students, one where they can learn, laugh, and for a few hours, escape from the crazy world out there. However, just because I present a happy face to my students, doesn't mean that it's all rosy on my end. This is not easy, and it's important to acknowledge that, not just for ourselves, but also for our students. It's okay to be honest with our students, and let them know that we're all struggling at different levels in different ways. Not so much that we scare them, but enough that they realize we're human too.

The pandemic is a serious challenge, and acting like it's just a minor paper cut undermines the work and adaptation required from both sides of the classroom. So while these insights were initially a reflection of my experience with distance learning with my students, when I put pen to paper (or in this case, fingers to keyboard), it made wonder if they could work both ways. Being adaptable, speedy, experimental, empathetic, and honest... I think they go beyond just educators or students, they are a reflection of the tenets of design. When I think about it, it feels like my experience of teaching design within constraints echoes my experiences of designing within constraints... have I come full circle, or am I creating a whole new circle? 🙂

Teaching Design within Constraints

When I was first introduced to design, I recall being excited by all the endless possibilities that design offered. There was that undercurrent of opportunity, that with the boundless power of design, we could change the world. However, with work on client projects, you learn that design doesn’t necessarily have free reign  —  it has to work within real conditions, and operate around real constraints (people, resources, technology).

I’ve endeavored to take what I’ve learned and experienced as a Strategic Design Consultant, and bring that knowledge and insight to the classroom as an Adjunct Professor of Strategic Design Management. Most of the time, that includes how design concepts are applied in the real world, and maybe some amusing anecdotes about drowning in artifacts, dueling with sharpies, and decorating with post-its. In the last few weeks, however, I’ve dug into the challenge of designing within constraints, and applied it to teaching design within constraints. 

Why constraints? Well, with the Coronavirus making its way across the globe, it is necessitating a lot of changes to protect people and their health. While absolutely necessary, these changes and preventive measures are coming at lightning speed, impacting our personal and professional lives. While these changes may well become our new normal, at this current time, these changes are akin to constraints — in that we are still trying to figure out how do we go about our daily lives, and in the context of academia, how do we continue to engage our students within this changing environment. 

Educational institutions around the world have already made or are going to be making the shift to online-based distance learning, in an effort to continue students’ learning journey, while maintaining social distancing. These are new challenges for all of us, and we’re all trying to figure this out as we go along, so I thought I’d share my insights from teaching design within constraints. Hopefully, some of it will help your interactions with your students, and maybe help them find some sense of normalcy amidst the upheaval.

• Be empathetic. These are challenging times for all of us, and while faculty and staff members may have had some hurdles to overcome during their professional lives, this is especially new for students. We’re all trying to make sense of this, so if somebody is struggling and snaps, or is tired and terse, cut them some slack. We need to kick our empathy up a notch, and interact with respect and professionalism, but also be more understanding with each other.

• Observe and Listen. Many students may be away from their families and loved ones, and may need someone to talk to, or just express their confusion about the current conditions. It’s tricky with the move to online learning, but where possible, be observant about your students’ behavior and comments, and if they share their thoughts with you, listen. If students open up to you, let them know that you respect their confidence, and that your class is a safe zone.

• Adapt, Learn, and Share Knowledge. Moving from in-class interactions to a virtual classroom requires changing our methods of content delivery and student engagement, as well as the tools that we use. While we continue to teach, it is also important to learn new ways of delivering content to our students. Different institutions are using different tools, and some of them may be quite intuitive, while others may have a steep learning curve. If you’re unfamiliar or having trouble, ask for help. If you’re familiar with some of the preferred software your institution is using, share that knowledge with your peers. Our goal right now should not be about being better than the other, but rather about helping each other, so the students benefit and have the best learning experience.

• Don’t forget to laugh! One of the main reasons why I believe educational institutions are making the shift to online learning is to not only continue classes, but also offer some sense of normalcy amidst everything that’s going on. I believe that laughter is the best medicine — it can help break the tension, make it feel a little more familiar while we’re away from each other, and make us feel just a little bit better. So, amp up the corny jokes and puns, let your students roll their eyes in resigned humor, and have a good laugh about all this. :D

• Take time to decompress. This is new for all of us — faculty, staff, students — and we’re all in this together. We may put up a strong (and funny) face for our students, and some of us may be alright, but a lot of us are still trying to make sense of this. You can’t take care of your students or your loved ones if you don’t take care of yourself. Maybe read that book you’ve been putting off, maybe watch that show or movie you’ve been meaning to see, maybe raise those endorphins with a workout, or maybe just be — do what works for you, but take some time for yourself, and decompress.

While these are just some of the things I’ve learned, I want to take a moment to acknowledge some of the people who have shared their own insights as we all try to navigate this new normal. Varkki Pallathucheril (plan ahead, but adapt your plan to your students), Anijo Mathew (first, be human, and then, look at the syllabus!), Zinka Bejtic (adapt your approach to better engage students), Phil Sheil (have a good laugh about it), and Zlatan Filipovic and Becky Beamer (share knowledge, don’t hoard it!).

Part of me still holds on to that naive belief that with the power of design, we could change the world. I think in today’s challenging times, we might all want to hold on to that belief, come together with our collective knowledge and creativity, and use design to solve pressing problems… We all need to be kind to each other, rise above this with our innate humanity, and maybe change the world a little bit in the process :)