UA Treehouse Design Ideas Discussion

For this reflection, you’re going to do a short brainstorming exercise. The goal is to come up with a large pool of ideas for Project 2, then to choose the best one (or one of the best ones).

Usually brainstorming is better as a group activity. You can generate ideas on your own, but groups tend to come up with more ideas. And some of those ideas are more creative too. So if you want to do your brainstorming as a group, or if you want to invite friends from outside the class to brainstorm with you, please do!

Step 1 – Define your project’s function.

Think about project 2. You’re designing something for someone you know. In order to be successful, what does your design need to do? For example, remember the bunny enclosure project we talked about before. The student’s bunny didn’t have enough room. So in order to be successful, the design had to give the bunny enough space to live, eat, play, sleep, etc.

Step 2 – Write down 5 BAD ideas

I like to use this activity as a brainstorming warm-up. Come up with 5 bad ideas for your design. They can be bad for any reason, but it’s fun to choose ideas that are kind of funny.

Step 3 – Write down AT LEAST 20 more ideas.

Don’t worry about evaluating these ideas right now. Just write down every idea that pops into your head. In many brainstorming sessions, the best ideas come after everyone gets stuck. So keep going until you can’t think of any more (even if it takes more than 20 ideas before you get stuck), then push yourself to think of 5 more. These ideas are often the most creative ideas in the list.

Step 4 – Choose your 3 favorite ideas

Write down your 3 favorite ideas. Explain how each idea could make project 3 successful. And tell us why it’s (potentially) the best idea in the list.

Step 5 – Submit your final list

Submit your list via Canvas. It should include:

• A description of your design’s function (from Step 1)
• 5 bad ideas (from step 2)
• 20 more ideas (from step 3)
• You favorite 3 ideas, along with an explanation of why they re your favorites (from step 4)