Samsung Pioneers Design Thinking Workshop to Cultivate Problem-Solving Skills in Students

Samsung’s ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ initiative has launched its inaugural design thinking workshop in selected schools across India, marking a significant step towards integrating design-centric education into the academic syllabus. This pioneering endeavor aims to equip students with invaluable problem-solving skills, critical thinking abilities, and a creative mindset through the Human-Centered Design Thinking framework.

Tailored specifically for the Indian context, this one-day workshop is designed to instill in students an appreciation for design thinking principles and encourage them to identify and tackle real-world challenges. Emphasizing empathy, definition, ideation, prototyping, and testing, the Human-Centered Design framework guides students through a structured process aimed at improving the lives of end-users.

SP Chun, Corporate Vice President at Samsung Southwest Asia, underscored the importance of nurturing innovation among the youth, stating, "Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is part of our vision to empower the next generation and create an ecosystem of innovation in the country." Chun emphasized the workshop's role in fostering collaboration, problem-solving, and creative thinking among young students, positioning them as the vanguards of innovation.

The one-day workshop unfolds through a series of engaging activities:

• Introduction to Basic Concepts of Design Thinking

• Five Steps of Design Thinking Process

  1. Empathy: Students immerse themselves in role-play and interviews, gaining insights into the perspectives and experiences of users affected by real-world challenges.
  2. Define: Through guided discussions and analysis, students identify core issues using tools like the Problem Tree, pinpointing root causes and intervention areas.
  3. Ideate: Encouraging a spirit of creativity, students brainstorm diverse solutions, embracing all ideas before refining and finalizing interlinked solutions through collaborative efforts.
  4. Prototype: Students employ prototyping methods to translate selected solutions into tangible storyboards, presenting their ideas for feedback and improvement.
  5. Test: Solutions undergo iterative refinement based on user feedback, ensuring alignment with user needs and preferences.

The ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ initiative, originally launched in the US in 2010 and now operational in 63 countries worldwide, aims to ignite a passion for problem-solving and innovation among young minds. In line with Samsung Electronics' global CSR vision of ‘Together for Tomorrow! Enabling People,’ the initiative underscores a commitment to providing education and empowering future leaders.

The School Track of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow targets 14–17-year-olds, inviting individual or team submissions under the theme of "Community & Inclusion." Semi-finalists stand to receive grants for prototype development and Samsung Galaxy Tabs, with the winning team designated as the "Community Champion" and awarded a seed grant of INR 25 lakh for prototype advancement. Additionally, winning schools receive Samsung products to enhance educational offerings, fostering a culture of problem-solving and innovation.

Applications for Samsung Solve for Tomorrow School Track are open until May 31, 2024, offering young innovators a platform to showcase their solutions to pressing societal challenges. Interested participants can submit their entries through the official website www.samsung.com/in/solvefortomorrow.