The Design Thinking Standards (DTS) provide educators a foundation of what students are expected to learn and do when using the design thinking method. These learning goals are guidelines that educators can use, adjust and modify to meet the needs of their students. The following standards were developed based on the work and teachings of the d.school (Institute of Design at Stanford University), a leader in design thinking education, and its K12 Lab Network, a program that brings design thinking into schools.
The DTS are composed of design practices (skills that students will be able to do), core design ideas (knowledge that students will understand), and design mindsets (set of attitudes essential for effective application of design thinking).
There are two sets of DTS's. The first set of standards incorporates the K12 Lab's design thinking principles (or mindsets) and is recommended for educators who teach design thinking to grade K-5 students. These principles or mindsets are straightforward and easier to understand by elementary students. The second set of DTS incorporates the liberatory design process and its set of mindsets. The liberatory design mindsets are slightly more complex and would be suitable for educators who teach design thinking to grade 6-12 students.
