Design can be applied to all kinds of problems. This application is what Stanford d.school explores by unlocking students’ creative potential and bringing them together to collaborate on solving real-world problems. For a site redesign, the school collaborated with San Francisco–based design firm Upperquad for several months to completely rethink how its web platform could be used. Upperquad’s solution was to utilize an “in-process” aesthetic—without looking unfinished—with grid lines that undulate and transform, much like the creative abilities of the school’s students. The navigational structure was designed communally; Upperquad interviewed people at the d.school and collaborated in workshops to organize content. These collaborations revealed a balanced navigational system that was equally as effective for those familiar with design thinking and for those being exposed to it for the first time.
This Boulder, Colorado–based design firm’s site draws inspiration from traditional, midcentury design firms.