Last week the selection process for the Basic Track students of winter semester 2016/2017 entered its second round. During the two-day D-Camp workshops, applicants got a glimpse into Design Thinking and the HPI School of Design Thinking
During the past few days the premises of the HPI D-School was filled with hustle and bustle, and this despite that fact that it’s now semester break. The reason: the D-Camp workshops, to which all the applicants who had passed the first online selection hurdle were invited.
120 students with 22 different nationalities visited the D-School — including applicants from China, Brazil, India, and Canada. Not only was the multi-cultural mix impressive, but also the variety of subject backgrounds. Participants ranged from designers and neuroscientists to computer scientists and social scientists. Nearly every discipline was represented.
Over two days, attendees received an introduction to Design Thinking as well as information about studying at the HPI D-School. With a challenge as the starting point, the students were able to experience nearly the whole Design Thinking process and run through all the steps. For instance, redesigning what a smoking break might look for those who are non-smokers, or improving the time spent during lunch in the university cafeteria. For many the D-Camp was their first contact with Design Thinking — and it turned out to be an impressive experience.
Choosing the 80 students for the upcoming Basic Track will be a big challenge, according to Dr. Claudia Nicolai, Academic Director of the HPI D-School: “The level of applicants is rising from year to year. In the meantime, the number of suitable candidates is significantly higher than the places available.” We anxiously await the decision and look forward to the start of the semester on October 25, 2016.
