Design Thinking

Design Thinking is a non-linear, iterative process used to understand users, challenge

assumptions, rede ne problems, and create innovative solutions to prototype and test. It’s
a human-centered approach to innovation that combines creativity and analytical thinking.
The process typically involves ve stages: Empathize, De ne, Ideate, Prototype, and
Test.

• Empathize: The goal is to gain a deep understanding of the users' needs, thoughts,
and emotions. You do this by observing, engaging, and listening to them.

• De ne: Based on the empathy stage, you articulate the core problem or challenge
you've identi ed. The goal is to create a clear problem statement from the user's
perspective.

• Ideate: This is the brainstorming phase where you generate as many creative
solutions as possible. No idea is a bad idea at this stage.

• Prototype: You create a tangible representation of your ideas, like a simple model
or a mock-up.

• Test: You test your prototypes with real users to get feedback, re ne your solutions,
and learn more about the users.

Understanding the Capstone Project

A Capstone Project is a culminating academic and intellectual experience for students,

typically in their nal year. It’s a long-term project that allows students to demonstrate their
acquired knowledge and skills by solving a real-world problem. In the context of AI, this
often involves applying AI, machine learning, or data science techniques to a speci c
challenge.

Example: A student might use a capstone project to build an AI model that can detect skin
diseases from images. This project would require them to apply their knowledge of
computer vision, data collection, and model training to create a functional prototype.

Identifying the Problem to Solve

Before you can build a solution, you need a clearly de ned problem. Here's a structured
approach to identifying a good problem for an AI capstone project:

• Look for gaps in the market: What problems are people facing that don't have a
good solution?

• Observe daily life: Pay attention to repetitive or frustrating tasks. Can AI make
them easier?

• Consider Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Can AI be used to address

global challenges like poverty, hunger, or climate change?
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 Example: Instead of just saying "I want to build an AI app," a better approach is to identify
a speci c problem: "Farmers are struggling with pest infestations that destroy their crops. I
want to build an AI system that can identify pests from a plant's image to help farmers take
timely action."

Empathy Map

An Empathy Map is a visual tool used to gain a deeper understanding of your target user.
It's a collaborative tool that helps teams get inside the head of their user and see the world
from their perspective. It helps to de ne the user's needs by focusing on what they Say,
Think, Do, and Feel.

• Says: What the user says out loud during an interview or observation.

• Thinks: What the user is thinking, which can be inferred from their actions or
expressions.

• Does: The actions and behaviors the user takes.

• Feels: The user's emotions, such as frustrations or satisfactions.

Example: For the farmer pest problem, an empathy map might show that the farmer says
"I'm losing a lot of my harvest," thinks "I wish I knew what pest this was," does "inspects
his crops manually," and feels"frustrated and worried."

Right Questioning

Asking the right questions is crucial for gathering valuable information and uncovering the
root of a problem. Instead of asking simple "yes/no" questions, focus on open-ended
questions that encourage a detailed response.

• Instead of: "Do you like this app?"

• Ask: "Can you walk me through your experience using this app and what
challenges you faced?"

• Instead of: "Would you use this feature?"

• Ask: "In what situation would you nd this feature most useful?"

Ideate

Ideation is the creative process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas.
It is the third phase of the Design Thinking process. The goal is to produce as many ideas
as possible, no matter how wild or impractical they may seem at rst. Common ideation
techniques include:

• Brainstorming: A group technique for generating a large number of ideas in a short

time.

• Mind Mapping: A visual technique for organizing thoughts and ideas around a
central concept.
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 • SCAMPER: A mnemonic that guides you to generate ideas by asking questions
about a product or service.

Example: For the pest problem, ideation might generate ideas like: "a drone that scans
crops," "a smartphone app with a picture-based diagnosis," or "a physical device that
attaches to the plant."

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 global goals established by
the United Nations. They are a call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure
that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. Integrating an SDG into a capstone
project gives it a real-world, positive impact.

Example:

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: An AI capstone project could focus on developing a system

to optimize crop yields or reduce food waste.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: An AI project could be a diagnostic tool for
diseases or a mental health support chatbot.

• SDG 13: Climate Action: An AI capstone could be a model that predicts natural
disasters or a system that optimizes energy consumption.

Sample Capstone Projects

Here are a few examples of AI capstone projects across different domains:

• Computer Vision: An AI model that detects distracted driving (e.g., using a phone,
not looking at the road).

• Natural Language Processing: A chatbot that provides mental health support by

analyzing a user's text for signs of distress.

• Data Science: A predictive model that forecasts traf c congestion in a city to help
with urban planning.

• Robotics: A robotic arm controlled by AI that can sort recyclable materials from a
pile of waste.

(Quick notes for revision)

📘 Unit 4 – Introduction to Capstone Project
A Capstone Project is the nal project in AI where students apply all concepts they have learned
to solve a real-world problem using the AI Project Cycle.
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 🔹 1. Design Thinking
Design Thinking is a problem-solving approach that focuses on user needs and creative
solutions.

✨ Phases of Design Thinking:

1. Empathize → Understand the users and their problems.

2. De ne → Clearly state the problem.

3. Ideate → Generate multiple ideas to solve the problem.

4. Prototype → Create a sample or model solution.

5. Test → Test the prototype with real users.

📌 Example: Designing an AI-based health app that reminds patients to take medicines on time.

📊 Diagram (Design Thinking Cycle):

Empathize → Define → Ideate → Prototype → Test

🔹 2. Identifying the Problem to Solve

Before building an AI solution, you must choose a real-world problem that is:

• Relevant (matters to people)

• Feasible (you can work on it with available resources)

• Impactful (improves life)

📌 Example:
Problem → “Students waste a lot of food in the school canteen.”
Capstone Idea → “An AI app to predict daily meal demand and reduce food wastage.”

📊 Diagram:

Observation → Problem Statement → AI Project Idea

🔹 3. Empathy Map
An Empathy Map helps us understand the user’s feelings, thoughts, and needs.
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📝 Structure:

• Says → What the user says

• Thinks → What the user thinks

• Does → What the user does

• Feels → What the user feels

📌 Example (Student wasting food):

• Says: “The food is not tasty.”

• Thinks: “I wish I could choose meals in advance.”

• Does: Leaves food on plate.

• Feels: Bored or dissatis ed.

📊 Diagram: Empathy Map

[Feels]
[Says] [User] [Thinks]
[Does]

🔹 4. Understanding the Capstone Project

• It is a culminating project done at the end of the AI course.

• Students apply AI Project Cycle steps:

◦ Problem Scoping

◦ Data Acquisition

◦ Data Exploration

◦ Modeling

◦ Evaluation

📌 Example: AI system to identify waste segregation (plastic, paper, metal) using image data.

📊 Diagram:

Problem → Data → Model → Test → Deploy

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🔹 5. Right Questioning
To solve a problem, we need to ask the right questions (using 4Ws & 1H).

• Who faces the problem?

• What is the exact problem?

• Where does it occur?

• Why does it matter?

• How can AI help?

📌 Example:
Q: “Why do students waste food in the canteen?”
This leads to useful insights for an AI solution.

📊 Diagram:

Who → What → Where → Why → How

🔹 6. Ideate
• Brainstorm multiple possible solutions.

• Use creativity + feasibility check.

📌 Example Solutions for Food Waste Problem:

1. AI app for meal pre-booking.

2. AI camera to track leftover food.

3. Prediction model for daily demand.

📊 Diagram: Divergent to Convergent Thinking

Many Ideas → Filter → Best Ideas

🔹 7. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The United Nations SDGs (17 goals) are global goals to make the world better by 2030.

AI projects should align with SDGs like:

• Goal 3: Good Health & Well-being

 • Goal 4: Quality Education

• Goal 11: Sustainable Cities

• Goal 13: Climate Action

📌 Example: AI weather app that predicts oods aligns with SDG 13 (Climate Action).

📊 Diagram: UN SDGs Wheel (17 colorful goals).

🔹 8. Sample Capstone Projects

Examples of AI projects done by students:

1. AI Chatbot for answering school-related queries.

2. AI-based Attendance System using face recognition.

3. AI Health Advisor to suggest diet based on age & lifestyle.

4. AI Environment Monitor to predict air quality.

📊 Diagram (Capstone Project Flow):

Problem → Design Thinking → Empathy Map → Data → Model →

Solution

✅ Summary
• Design Thinking: Structured problem-solving.

• Problem Identi cation: De ne real-world issues.

• Empathy Map: Understand user needs.

• Capstone Project: Apply AI cycle.

• Right Questioning: Ask correct questions.

• Ideate: Generate creative solutions.

• SDGs: Align with global goals.

• Sample Projects: Chatbot, attendance, health app, waste reduction.

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