- Assignment Type: Individual
- For RIC students only
- Estimated time required: 60 minutes
- Due by third week of class
- Typical Points Possible: 20
- U.C. Berkeley Students: Find specific due dates in Bcourses.
Why is this assignment important?
Many other popular readings today preach the very nature of both the Rapid Innovation Cycle, the Eric Ries “Lean Startup Method” (build, test, learn), but Prof. Sara Beckman and Michael Barry were some of the first experts to write about these topics. This assignment gives you a theoretical approach to innovation / experimentation so that you can compare it to a tactical and action-oriented approach like the RIC.
Your mission for this assignment is…
To read, understand and analyze “Innovation as a Learning Process: Embedding Design Thinking” from our colleague here at UC Berkeley, Prof. Sara Beckman and her co-author Michael Barry from Stanford’s d.School as well as:
- uncover unique* insights and
- generate unique* questions
- compare and contrast with the RIC process
- propose new opportunities for future research
*Unique relative to your past Hands-on Rapid Prototyping colleagues insights and questions:
Link to Beckman and Barry past responses (Google Sheets): http://bit.ly/beckman-barry-responses
Link to Beckman and Barry reading (link):
For U.C. Berkeley Students*: Bcourses > Files > Barry & Beckman Readings > “Innovation as a learning 0907”.pdf
LINK TO SUBMIT YOUR ANSWERS IS HERE (Google Form): http://bit.ly/BB-submissions
*note, there are other supplementary documents in that folder for your reference. They are not required reading, but great responses often reference these and other relevant works.
The best scores will be given to those who really engage with the reading, explore other relevant works and find ways to build atop this research.
GRADING RUBRIC:
Barry and Beckman Reading Rubric
| Criteria | Pts Possible |
|---|---|
| Uniqueness of responses Responses are new and unique relative to past responses. | 5.0 pts |
| Depth of responses Learner explored ideas and questions in depth. Peeled back more than one layer of the onion so to speak. | 5.0 pts |
| Understanding of concept It is clear that the learner comprehended the key elements to the article. | 5.0 pts |
| Overall Discretionary points given to responses that are high value and brief, tied to personal experiences / expertise, remarkably insightful, relevant, connected, grounded, funny, etc. | 5.0 pts |
| Total Points: 20.0 |
If you fully engage with this assignment and do well, you will have achieved the following:
- Internalized yet another set of tools and mindsets to prepare you for both intrapreneurship and entrepreneurship.
- You will have yet another new perspective on the iterative nature of ideation and have a language to describe and discuss the key aspects of the process.
- You’ll understand the value and utility of divergent and convergent thinking and how a variety of personality types are required for successful and diverse team formation.