In order to help struggling college students in the STEM disciplines, Intel Corporation launched a 6 week workshop at eight of its US sites, aiming to improve program retention at various colleges. For two of these six weeks, we led an Engineering Design and Communication module teaching students whitespace identification, product development cycle, and human-centered design. We functioned as both lecturers and project managers for students 18-65 years old. 

With over 100 students at each site, we divided the group into teams of four or five and provided them with white spaces in the consumer goods industry. These included projects from toilet brushes and ironing boards to toothpaste and cell phone stands.

They learned how to do initial research, form a mission statement, perform user ethnography, brainstorm effectively, analyze testing results, and more. Their focus was on applications of design and the communication of their concept. Over the course of two weeks, they had the opportunity to see design at work across disciplines, from fine art to civil engineering.

Many students have taken the projects they developed to the next level, and they continue to stay in touch as they attempt to commercialize their hard work. We are very proud!