The Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at the University of Cape Town supports this shift through customised partner courses designed not as one-size-fits-all solutions, but as tailored professional development initiatives for educators. d-school Afrika has been co-creating Design Thinking in Schools interactive workshops with various educators, education specialists and in collaboration with the public education department pioneers to spearhead applying design thinking within the school contexts across South Africa. These courses were developed in collaboration with Siemens Stiftung and d-school Afrika with a focus on how to bring Design Thinking methodologies into the school and classroom settings to help facilitate more enriching teaching and learning environments.
Kristi was one of the first educators to be trained in The Index Project as part of the “Design Thinking in STEM” initiative, which focuses on applying Design Thinking in pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Educators like Kristi Rossouw née Jooste—one of 25 South African teachers trained since 2019, are demonstrating the lasting impact this approach can have on teaching and learning.
Our approach starts with clear learning objectives that guide the purposeful integration of digital tools and innovative methods. The outcomes are practical: educators become better at facilitating group work, nurturing creativity, and even addressing ethical considerations in STEM education.
"I completed an undergraduate degree in genetics, development, and physiology. I’d always enjoyed science, and at the time, bursary opportunities were attractive. Although I considered careers in physiotherapy, medicine, exercise science and social development, I ultimately chose science because it felt like a natural fit. I was accepted into medicine, but decided to finish my BSc before reassessing – a decision I’ve never regretted. After completing my BSc, I was accepted into three programmes: Honours in Social Development, Exercise Science, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). I chose teaching, focusing on the intermediate and senior phase, so I could support children in building a strong foundation in science from an early age."
Kristi:
"Design Thinking has reshaped my approach. Traditionally, STEM teaching often places the teacher at the centre, delivering heavily content-driven lessons with limited time for practical activities. Design Thinking challenged that model. It’s not just about information transmission – it’s about creating a space for students to collaborate, explore, and problem-solve. I’ve learned to trust the process, from identifying problems to prototyping solutions, and to check in with myself: am I dominating the space, or am I creating room for learners to drive the lesson in new directions? It’s made me more intentional in my planning and more reflective as an educator."
Kristi:
"Yes. I was running a new science lab in a no-fee school on a shoestring budget. There was pressure to deliver both theoretical and practical science effectively, and I was unsure how to balance that. I was also concerned about falling back on traditional methods. The Design Thinking programme helped me realise I didn’t have to rely on legacy approaches. It prompted me to rethink how I blended theory and practice and encouraged deeper ethical reflection – like how we use live animals in science lessons and how that shapes students' values around nature and care."
Kristi:
"It gave me a practical framework to structure engaging classroom activities. I learned how to guide group work with a clear purpose – moving from problem statements to tangible prototypes. Group work was no longer just about assigning roles, but about creating a meaningful, collaborative process. It also made me more aware of the ethical and environmental implications of my teaching, shaping a more reflective, values-based practice."
Kristi:
"I was nervous at first – it felt very different from traditional training. But once immersed, I loved it. It was hands-on, practical, and inspiring. From post-its and prototyping to working on whiteboards and tables – every activity had a purpose. I could immediately see how these methods would work in the classroom. I even invited our principal to attend a session because I felt every teacher should experience it. The training reignited my enthusiasm for teaching."
Kristi:
"After the training, I began integrating Design Thinking not just in science but across social sciences, history, and language lessons. Many of the tools became teaching aids in their own right. My lessons shifted from delivering content and running quarterly practical assessments to engaging students more collaboratively and creatively. Of course, there was noise – but I learned to embrace it as part of the learning process. One key change was ending lessons with reflective discussions to see what learners had taken away – often surprising and insightful."
Kristi:
"I’m currently the acting principal at Floreat Primary while still serving as deputy principal. Last year, we piloted a new subject: Design, Coding and Robotics for our Grade 6 learners. We carved out time from science and life skills to run this weekly hour-long session. I co-taught the subject with our ICT coordinator – who has since attended Design Thinking workshops at the d-school. The feedback was so positive that in 2025 we’ve expanded the subject across Grades 3 to 7, with smaller groups of 20 learners to allow for more meaningful engagement. This is a work-in-progress example of how Design Thinking can influence how we teach STEM in under-resourced settings."
Kristi:
"Yes, this part of the story is very important to me. In 2024, a group of 11 Design Thinking-trained teachers came together at the d-school to reestablish a community of practice. We committed to meeting quarterly to share best practices and hold one another accountable for implementing Design Thinking in our schools. Our first meet-up was on 21 September 2024 at the d-school, just after Term 3 ended. We shared food, gave feedback on what we’d tried that term, and reflected together. In 2025, each member has committed to bringing a colleague along, spreading the spark of curiosity organically through shared stories. This community of practice is energising and affirming. It’s not just about upskilling, it’s about sustaining momentum and supporting each other to embed Design Thinking meaningfully into teaching practice."
Kristi:
"The biggest shift has been in how we engage students in practical activities. Our Design Thinking sessions often involve 'organised chaos', with learners talking, building, problem-solving, and experimenting together. We try to keep activities simple and ensure every learner is hands-on. It’s not just more enjoyable – it leads to deeper learning and stronger interpersonal skills, particularly in a primary school setting where group dynamics are still developing. The structured process of Design Thinking helps learners improve their creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration – all essential for future success."
Kristi:
"I see STEM education continuing to move into digital spaces, but I believe we must not lose the practical, earth-connected side of learning. School gardens, outdoor learning spaces, and environmental STEM topics are just as critical. At Floreat, we’ve developed a school garden and an outdoor classroom – not yet used to its full potential, but with lots of promise.
We’re also exploring space science through partnerships that introduce learners to astronauts and scientists. This exposure is new and exciting for our learners, and it shows what’s possible when you widen access to STEM.
However, it’s vital to acknowledge the practical constraints in under-resourced schools. Class sizes of 40, limited staff, and scarce equipment make interactive STEM teaching incredibly difficult. One of the most impactful things we’ve done is split our Grade 3 to 7 classes in half – one group goes to the library, the other to the robotics space. After a decade of teaching interactive science in large classes, I can say confidently: this shift has made a world of difference. But it’s only possible with space, personnel, and the will to try.
With the right support – in resources, training, and a strong professional community – we can bridge the gap and create more inclusive, engaging STEM classrooms. Design Thinking helps us get there."
Kristi Rossouw’s story is a powerful example of how a human-centred Design Thinking approach can transform teaching. By starting with clear learning goals and integrating tools and technology purposefully, her classrooms have become dynamic, engaging environments. From driving curriculum innovation to supporting a grassroots teacher network, Kristi shows what’s possible when professional development is truly embedded in practice.
The reestablishment of a community of practice among Design Thinking-trained educators is one of the most promising outcomes of this work. Meeting quarterly, this group shares stories, offers support, and ignites curiosity among colleagues – ensuring the momentum continues to grow.
For educators and professionals interested in learning how Design Thinking can reshape typical classroom teaching, the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika’s tailored programmes provide a powerful starting point. Through its partnership with Siemens Stiftung and d-school Afrika the “Design Thinking in Schools” initiative continues to support teachers across South Africa as they bring Design Thinking into their classrooms and explore global challenges through a local lens. Whether tackling issues like climate protection, gender equality, or sustainable consumption, this methodology equips both teachers and learners with tools to think critically, act ethically, and build meaningful solutions. Join us in reimagining education for a complex, rapidly changing world.
In a world marked by rapid change and complexity, Africa stands at a pivotal crossroads, facing a myriad of challenges ranging from socio-economic disparities to environmental sustainability. To effectively address these pressing issues and pave the way for a brighter future, it's imperative to adopt innovative problem-solving approaches.
According to Paul Steenkamp, founder of business strategy consultancy I am Jack Frost, the local and global context is evolving towards more inclusive and sustainable problem-solving approaches in business.
“This shift,” he says, “encourages businesses and leaders to adopt strategies that prioritise empathy, collaboration, and innovation, focusing on creating value for a wider range of stakeholders, including communities and the environment.”
This transition reflects a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of global challenges and the role of businesses operating collaboratively at an ecosystem-level in contributing to solutions.
Human- and Afro-centricity significantly influence innovation for growth by ensuring that solutions are culturally relevant and address the specific needs of African markets and communities.
Design thinking, at its core, is a mindset and methodology that places human needs and experiences at the forefront of problem-solving. It emphasises empathy, collaboration, and iterative prototyping, making it particularly well-suited for addressing the diverse and multifaceted challenges prevalent across the African continent.
It further fosters broader engagement, the harnessing of indigenous knowledge, best practices, and diverse insights, alongside mutually rewarding partnerships that fuel and deliver effective problem-solving.
The Design Thinking in Afrika programme exemplifies this ethos, providing a platform for participants to engage in a competitive Trans-African Challenge. Through this challenge, participants not only develop critical thinking skills but also gain exposure to real-world problems facing African communities.
“The Design Thinking in Afrika programme,” says Tiego Monareng, Programme Lead at the d-school Afrika at UCT, “carefully selects and collaborates with project partners who present our participants with real-world challenges, which need to be addressed in creative new ways. These real-world challenges are framed as a design challenge for participants to respond to during the program, as they develop their creative confidence and problem solving capacity through the design thinking process.”
In addition to fostering critical thinking, the programme emphasises the importance of diverse collaboration. By working within multidisciplinary teams and partnering with key industry players, participants gain valuable insights and expertise, ensuring that the solutions they develop are not only innovative but also practical and sustainable.
Furthermore, the programme embodies the principles of human-centred design, ensuring that solutions are developed with the end-users in mind. This approach not only increases the likelihood of success but also fosters a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities present in African markets and communities.
As Africa continues to navigate the complexities of the 21st century, design thinking offers a powerful framework for addressing the continent's most pressing challenges. By prioritising empathy, collaboration, and innovation, design thinking empowers individuals and communities to create a future that is inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous for all.
“This programme,” says Hoda Mostafa, Director of the Center for Learning and Teaching at the American University in Cairo, “is an example of a collaborative initiative that bridges the geographical divide between African universities who care deeply about empowering students to solve real world complex challenges in multidisciplinary teams.”
Hoda continues, “Not only must we expose students to opportunities to think about today's complex challenges, we must also equip them with mindsets and tools to address the uncertainties of the future. By bringing human-centred, challenge-based learning into the heart of the learning process, we engage students in a unique experience that introduces the mindsets and process of design thinking in a collaborative environment that is specific to learners on the continent and our challenges.”
The Design Thinking in Afrika programme is more than just a learning opportunity – it's a catalyst for change. By embracing the principles of human-centred design, participants are not only equipped with the skills and mindset needed to tackle Africa's challenges but also empowered to shape a brighter future for the continent and beyond.
Design-led thinking is not just a buzzword; it's a mindset shift that can revolutionise the way businesses operate. The pace of change in the world today is staggering. From geopolitical shifts to technological advancements, businesses operate in an environment of constant flux. In such a landscape, traditional strategies often fall short, leaving organisations struggling to adapt. According to McKinsey & Co., businesses that embrace design thinking not only stay ahead of the curve but also foster a culture of innovation that propels them towards success. By putting people at the centre of everything they do – with empathy being the central principle in design-led thinking – these organisations are able to create products, services, and experiences that resonate deeply with their customers.
In November 2023, the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika (d-school Afrika) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) hosted students from various universities for its annual Design Thinking Week. The project partner for last year’s programme was the Muizenberg Improvement District. Read the full story here
At its core, design thinking is about understanding the needs and desires of people and using that insight to create innovative solutions. It's a human-centred approach that places empathy at the forefront of problem-solving.
“By prioritising human-centric solutions,” says I Am Jack Frost-founder, Paul Steenkamp, “companies can create solutions that resonate more deeply with their colleagues, clients and communities, leading to improved satisfaction, loyalty, and ultimately, business growth.”
As a result, design-led thinking is not just a buzzword, but rather a mindset shift that has the potential to revolutionise the way businesses operate.
“Furthermore,” says Paul, “design thinking encourages cross-disciplinary collaboration and iterative development, allowing businesses to adapt quickly to market changes and emerging trends, ensuring long-term sustainability and competitiveness.”
By collaborating with experts in design thinking, such as the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at the University of Cape Town, businesses gain access to invaluable insights and methodologies that can transform their approach to problem-solving.
In practice, project partners collaborate with the d-school Afrika by introducing their unique design challenge as a project into the d-school’s student learning environment. This helps students learn collaboratively and apply design thinking to a real-world context.
“At the outset of any project partnership,” says Ettienne Mostert, Business and Partnership Development Manager at the d-school Afrika, “we work with the project partner to uncover what the human story behind the problem the project partner faces is.”
“Once we’ve collectively agreed with the project partner and the direction we’d like to take the project in,” continues Ettienne, “we brief the multidisciplinary student teams on our programme.
“From there, it’s up to the students with the help of dedicated design thinking coaches, to synthesise this into a human-centred challenge and, using a design-led thinking methodology, to ultimately propose and prototype a solution with ongoing feedback from the project partner.”
Throughout this collaboration, the project partner benefits from the exposure to the design-thinking process, as well as gains new ideas from the participants working on their unique design challenge.
For example, one such partner for the d-school’s Foundation in Design Thinking Programme, the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, was looking to create a sustainable public library service model for the Western Cape Province.
Their goal was to contribute to nation-building, good governance, social and human capital development and sustainable economic growth while also adapting to the changing landscape of library service delivery.
Through their partnership with the d-school Afrika, they were able to reimagine their user experience journey, resulting in a solution concept aimed to transform library services by bringing together thought leaders, stakeholders, experts, and community representatives to envision the future of libraries.
The resulting initiative aims to empower the Western Cape Library Service to evolve into a vibrant hub nurturing a culture of reading, lifelong learning, and inclusivity.
“At its core,” says Ettienne, “it's about embracing ambiguity, reframing problems, and iterating towards solutions through rapid prototyping and testing. It's a holistic approach that encourages collaboration across disciplines and fosters a culture of experimentation.”
Furthermore and in today's increasingly interconnected world, the importance of Afro-centric innovation cannot be overstated. By drawing on the rich diversity of African cultures and perspectives, businesses can create solutions that are not only relevant but transformative.
This is why partnerships with organisations like the d-school Afrika are so valuable – they provide access to local expertise and insights that can drive meaningful change.
“The local and global context is evolving towards more inclusive and sustainable problem-solving approaches in business,” says Paul. “This shift encourages businesses and leaders to adopt strategies that prioritise empathy, collaboration, and innovation, focusing on creating value for a wider range of stakeholders, including communities and the environment. This transition reflects a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of global challenges and the role of businesses operating collaboratively at an ecosystem-level in contributing to solutions.”
As a result, a design-thinking partnership is more than just a strategic business tactic, it's a catalyst for transformation. By embracing human-centric principles and Afro-centric innovation, businesses can unlock new opportunities for growth and success. Whether you're a multinational corporation or a small startup, the benefits of partnering with the d-school Afrika are clear.
“Human- and Afro-centricity,” concludes Paul, “significantly influence innovation for growth by ensuring that solutions are culturally relevant and address the specific needs of African markets and communities.”
Design thinking fosters broader engagement, the harnessing of indigenous knowledge, best practices, and diverse insights, alongside mutually rewarding partnerships that fuel and deliver effective problem-solving.”
So, if you're ready to take your business to the next level, consider joining forces with the d-school Afrika at UCT. Don't let the challenges of today's world hold you back – unlock your organisation's ability to navigate complexity with design-led mindsets.
In November 2023, the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika (d-school Afrika) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) hosted students from various universities for its annual Design Thinking Week. The project partner for this year’s programme was the Muizenberg Improvement District.
The 2023 Design Thinking Week took place over four days from 21 to 24 November. On 22 November students were also taken on a full-day immersion to the project site at the Muizenberg Promenade.
With students coming from various disciplines, the aim of Design Thinking Week is to afford them the opportunity to work in multidisciplinary teams made up of six to eight, and each team is also guided by a dedicated and experienced design thinking coach.
Students participating in Design Thinking Week work on real-world challenges provided and framed by the d-school’s project partner which, for 2023, was the Muizenberg Improvement District.
As the students learn and are exposed to the tools and processes of design thinking, they also apply these in coming up with solutions to the project partner’s identified challenges. The aim of this is to cultivate the core design thinking mindsets and allow students to take this forward into their learning journeys in their respective fields.
In addition, the students participate in a competitive, African challenge and are exposed to real-world problems. This advances their critical thinking skills that are so crucial to solving some of the problems the continent faces today.
For the 2023 Design Thinking Week, the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at UCT and the project partner, the Muizenberg Improvement District formulated the following three real-world challenges for the students to solve using design thinking tools:
There were 13 student teams participating in the 2023 Design Thinking Week. Some of the innovative solutions to the challenges above included the following:
Each team applied the design thinking process according to the following six-phased framework:
In Part 1 of this feature series, Richard Perez, Director of the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at the University of Cape Town (UCT), unpacked the role of space in design-led thinking. Associate Professor Janice McMillan from the Learning and Discovery Lab further explores the topic by contextualising the role of place in collaboration, teaching and learning.
In the context of teaching and learning, place and space are often used interchangeably. However, while there is a link between the two, there are some crucial differences which are important to note in the educational sphere, as well as in the broader social contexts within which education and notions of learning are located.
The link between education and context in the use of both ‘place’ and ‘space’ should also be emphasised, particularly when it comes to teaching, learning and practising design-led thinking.
Space is usually about location, whereas place is usually geographical and geopolitical.
When people, politics, and history are taken into account, it’s usually more useful to talk about place, because we all come into spaces with histories and through making meaning, space becomes place through our own set of experiences.
More specifically, in teaching and learning, space is the classroom, and place is the classroom in relationship with and to others – for example, learners, teachers, and coaches.
These terms are crucial in thinking through educational processes. According to Grunewald (2003:627), “recognizing that places are what people make of them”, is an approach that puts people at the centre of places and place-making:
“If human beings are responsible for place making, then we must become conscious of ourselves as place makers and participants in the sociopolitical process of place making. Educationally, this means developing the connections with places that allow us to invest them with particular kinds of meaning.”[1]
Therefore, place is what gives a space meaning and a connection to a cultural or personal identity.
Framing learning with the concept of ‘place’ can be a useful tool in education and teamwork as a way to get to know others. This can happen through the stories of a particular place and how and in what way we feel connected to a given place.
Either of these approaches can help others in the team learn a bit more about their team members, and how, through identifying with certain places, shapes how they see and experience the social world.
However, creating a sense of psychological safety is crucial in these types of team collaboration exercises. To assist in fostering a psychologically safe environment, setting the context for a given collaboration exercise or practice should also be intentionally creative from the outset, especially where there are power dynamics at work.
For example, this could involve using metaphors to verbally navigate complex issues such as differing histories and positionalities. Using communicative artefacts such as pictures and personal items could also contribute to how a team thinks about or interacts in a collaborative place.
These methods could be used to frame questions in a design thinking process in interesting ways.
As a result, a place can be a really useful vehicle for getting teams to get to know each other without judgement and criticism. However, setting up an enabling environment for this is imperative.
Design thinking also happens in ‘a place’ and therefore, we need to be mindful of the role of place in shaping both people, purpose and ultimately practice. Practitioners and researchers thus need to shift mindsets from understanding design thinking as an isolated practice to understanding it as a ‘socially situated’ practice and part of a much bigger ecosystem.
In other words, bringing ‘place’ into design thinking as part of the framing of design leads to understanding design thinking as a complex socially situated practice (Kimbell 2011)[2], i.e. it is a practice in which diverse groups of people with their varied backgrounds and ways of knowing come to learn together. This brings a level of complexity into design and design thinking, positioning it a potentially important approach to complex problem-solving[3].
To conclude, in design-led thinking, it is important to acknowledge processes of power and privilege in place. We need to make the effort to shift focus off the individual design-thinking coach and the broader coaching team to include the project partner and the broader social context as an example.
Such a shift reflects the understanding that design thinking is not a neutral practice; it is a social practice located at the nexus of a complex set of power relations visible across a range of places, both locally and globally.
[1] Gruenewald, D. A. (2003). Foundations of place: A multidisciplinary framework for place-conscious education. American Educational Research Journal, 40(3), 619-654 pg. 627.
[2] Kimbell, L. (2011). Rethinking design thinking Part 1. Design and Culture, 3(3), pp. 285-306.
[3] Kimbell, L. (2012). Rethinking design thinking Part 2. Design and Culture, 4(2), pp. 129-14
