Why a(other) toolkit?

Version française : FR

Many things have been written about design toolboxes, available in many versions. So what are the inspirations of the AYCH Wiki? What is the model that emerges from the AYCH programme? What are we doing differently?

We aim at having a critical look at these different methods and tools in order to build up a specific AYCH Toolbox for and by its participants and stakeholders, but that can also be useful and transferable to other contexts and latitudes.

Next, there is a little tour of different practices that caught our attention. It is simply a presentation of a method and its tools with often a particular context of application. They take the form of a website with resources in .pdf (user manual and sheets and contents to print). They have been a source of inspiration but they have also shown us some paths not to follow.

Some examples : open source toolkits and design methodologies

School doing school

Principle of an institution of higher education which communicates in a totally open way on its methods, its practices and its tools and which aim at their dissemination. here is an example :

Thoughts: how we design the wiki

A website with .pdf resources implies that the user(s) is sufficiently autonomous. Users can be people who want to learn or develop a project or people who want to use the methods and tools of D.thinking (or other) in a broader context (project management, teaching, etc.).

We are not convinced that this is suitable for many people: person-to-person transmission is essential in this type of initiative. For instance, the “fall” of Mooc for lack of human commitment shows the importance of the mediator's role. Put it simply: can you imagine a fablab without a fab manager? without a facilitator and with only the machines and documents to use them?. This wiki should be augmented with case studies, and training should be given by specialists. We can deliver the wiki & support the hubs to train them on tools.

Tangible tools

“Physical” tools designed specifically for creative project creation / design.

Some examples

The deck of cards / board

  • This format is very popular in creativity tools, especially as ideation tools , a quick overview to be developed:

Some examples

  • IDEO Method cards is a card game without really being one (there are no rules). The card game aspect appears here as a playful way and easy to relate to. It should be seen more as a synthesis of the D.thinking user search * presenting tools according to four categories (“learn”, “look”, “ask”, “try”). Each card develops the how and why of the tool, with a visual on the back. It can be purchased there or downloaded right here.