Creative thinking skills are essential for generating innovation and change in the health care industries. To cultivate out-of-the-box thinking and creative problem solving our Design Thinking Bootcamp, held February 22nd and 23rd, focused on utilizing techniques from the design thinking toolkit, or methodology.

Over the course of this two-day workshop, participants learned brainstorming and analysis techniques, played improvisational games to expand their imagination, and took fieldtrips to locations around Yushima to practice cross-pollinating ideas. Students worked in teams to tackle the concept of waiting and finished by collaborating to redesign an aspect of the hospital lobby, where patients often begin their encounter with health care providers. Groups then prototyped their creative solution out of paper and craft supplies and presented the results. Senior HSLP graduates of the workshop assisted each team and participants stated that they appreciated their guidance, and were impressed by their ability to communicate complex and creative ideas in English.

Overall, it was a fun and valuable experience for all those who participated! We hope to see innovative thinking continue to grow at TMDU!