In this blog, Jenny reflects on her time at the iHub – first as a Design Researcher and then as part of the Community Engagement team. Jenny discusses the power of design thinking to create community.
Written by Jenny Phung, Community Engagement Designer and Event Facilitator, Honours Bachelor of Science, Double Major in Global Health and Book & Media Studies, English, Certificate of Sustainability
Design thinking is more than just a form of human-centered research. I have discovered that design thinking actually has powerful potential to create change and build community. As someone who has been involved with the Innovation Hub in various capacities, from being a Design Researcher to Community Engagement Designer and Event Facilitator, I had the opportunity to develop my skills in design thinking, and translate this experience into planning community events. Reflecting on these experiences, I have seen how the design thinking process encourages a stronger sense of connection and helps build community.
Connecting with Community as an Equity Designer
During my time as a Design Researcher, I learned about the concept of being an equity designer – someone who has a close personal connection to a project because of their lived experiences. While I was a Design Researcher on the Reimagining Commuter Student Spaces project, I realized I was an equity designer because as a commuter student, I had also lived through the experience of commuting to campus.
I was uniquely positioned to connect with other commuter students from a place of lived experience while collecting data. During data analysis, I also had the opportunity to share my experiences with team members. Connecting from a place of empathy allowed me to hear, connect, and support my fellow students and share from my experiences with the other designers on my team.
Building Empathy as a Design Ally
Something that I learned is integral to the success of any project is understanding people’s needs, which was accomplished by empathizing with their experiences through active listening. This role can also be considered as a design ally, where someone who does not have the same lived experiences as the users in a project supports and uplifts people with these lived experiences. On the Reception Experiences at Health & Wellness project, I served as a design ally, where I supported my team members and the greater U of T community who had experience interacting with Health and Wellness reception. As a design ally, I learned how to build a community by creating a safe space for the team and participants to comfortably share their stories.
Design Thinking Nurtures Community
Working on iHub projects as both an equity designer and a design ally has allowed me to connect with and understand the experiences of students. I can now carry this experience with me into my new role as a Community Engagement Designer & Event Facilitator, designing meaningful events for our community. Because I have experienced iHub events in the past, I have an understanding of how people interact, connect and have fun in our space. Having this experience greatly informed my process for designing new events for the team where participants are heard and can connect with each other. My process considers what the event participation experience might be like from different perspectives and how individual needs can be addressed. For example, asking team members if they need certain accessibility accommodations to participate is important so that the event design is inclusive. Working at the iHub and having these opportunities were extremely valuable to me as they allowed me to feel a sense of community both with the team and with the students involved in our projects.
My experiences with the design thinking process at the Innovation Hub have become a highlight of my university experience, shaping how I perceive the world and connect with others. Now, in conversation with my peers, I often ask: “How do you define community?” and “What does your community need?” These questions, I’ve learned, are where community-building begins.
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