In preparing for my next interview with the staff of SCD, the questions I have pivot around the following three topics:
Team
Impact
History
I have been thinking about Simon Sinek and his analogy of the Golden Circle and his onion like diagram of the Why, the How and the What. Siebel Center for Design's "why", its reason for existing, why people should care about it, its purpose, is really quite clear. If you look on the SCD website or at different news articles, SCD is described as being about promoting human-centered design and mandated quick iterations, developing expertise, passion and creativity toward issues and lives of consequence, and in other places its mission is described as bringing the campus together through a cyber-physical network, in spaces throughout the campus, connecting with communities and challenges around the world. Ultimately SCD seems to be about creating a place for interdisciplinary education and infusing undergraduate education with Design Thinking. This is "The Why".
The programs that will be created at SCD will be "The How"
SCD Experience
SCD Invent
SCD Entrepreneur
SCD Gather
SCD Invite
Each of these categories will help interdisciplinary education to take place on campus and infuse design thinking into Illinois' undergraduate education.
Impact + Assessment
How will SCD measure impact? Will it be focused on undergraduate involvement in design thinking and prototyping only or will we also be reaching out to the community?
As different classes, workshops, seminars, proposals begin to take shape and are offered, how will success be determined? How will the Associate Director of Programs be evaluated?
Team Building
As the Associate Directors are hired and the leadership team gets filled out, what are the plans to hire and develop teams for each Associate Directors area? Would that take place in the upcoming year or in the next three years? What does that timeline look like? How large do you envision the staff growing?
How ambitious are plans before the SCD Building opens next spring 2020?
History
There has been one year of history with SCD at this point. What has been the most meaningful event or action so far? What has been an unanticipated challenge or frustration? Will Love-a-Palooza become an annual event or tradition? If so, is there interest in a Fall event to bookend it? Say a theme around Halloween? Remembering the dead, honoring alumni, harvest, trick or treating, haunted house or a masquerade ball?