How can you use design thinking principles and practices to make scientific knowledge more experiential and actionable? That was the goal of two half-day “pop-out” courses developed by Worldview Studio and colleagues at Stanford’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design (d.school). 

“Designing with the Brain in Mind,” integrated neuroscience and design through informative presentations and interactive exercises, culminating in a rapid prototyping design challenge that prompts teams to use brain science insights. “Designing the President” (renamed “Vote by Design”) fostered more productive political conversations and agency. Individually and in groups, people prioritized the non-partisan values and qualities desirable in a U.S. president (as identified by leading historians); tested their choices by viewing real candidate debates; role-played “presidents” faced with challenging scenarios; gave press briefings; and then reflected on how their personal perceptions of the presidency had changed.