The LifeDesign for Early Adulthood Program
The program allows individuals in their early adulthood to understand Design Thinking as a general methodology to address a wide range of life stage relevant significances and problems in academic, early work-life, personal and social settings. Some of the significances and issues may include the transition from academic to working life, affective relationships, happiness, young family life, financial independence and responsibility, personal and social identity, and others. Throughout the program, individuals learn and explore their own version of Design Thinking through a range of customized content-specific live-projects (Note 1) that help individuals to enhance the awareness of their latent potential, intrinsic interest, personality and character in a holistic approach. In essence, the gain in self-awareness gives rise to the construction of individuals’ live-view, work-view and world-view at the early adulthood stage of their life. As with most of the lifelong learning initiatives, the program enables the formulation of our life orientation based on individuals’ potential, interest, personality, and early life- and work-experiences. In short, the LifeDesign for Early Adulthood Program serves as a platform for continuous, multifaceted and progressive lifelong learning and development.
(Note 1) - The customization of live-projects is based on the principle that enables students to explore combinations of latent potentials such as linguistic, logical-analytical, visual-spatial, musical, physical, self-sensitivities, others-sensitivities, creative, and innovative capabilities. The list of latent potentials can be largely referenced to Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences.
For examples,(1) a “Living-space Design for Micro-studio Challenge” that emphasizes the visual-spatial, physical, self-sensitivities, creative and innovative capabilities; (2) a “Lifespan Financial Plan in Your 20s Project” that emphasizes the logical-analytical, self-sensitivities, creative and innovative capabilities; (3) a “Infographics for Mass Communication Challenge” that emphasizes the linguistic, logical-analytical, visual-spatial, and creative capabilities.
What do individuals or learners in their early adulthood get out of the program?
The program helps learners to:
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acquire and internalize Design Thinking as a general set of knowledge, skills and attitudes to tackle a broad variety of life stage relevant formational and developmental tasks through the suite of customised live-projects (Note 1);
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discover and explore their latent potentials and intrinsic interests through the live-projects and lifespan counselling;
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apply empathic sensitivity, critical reasoning, creative thinking and innovatory capabilities to resolve life stage significances and issues;
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engage proactively in LifeDesign and developmental initiative for the formation of life-view, work-view and world-view;
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nurture self-confidence, self-efficacy and self-awareness; and
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enrich lifelong learning and developmental portfolio.
Program Structure
The LifeDesign for Early Adulthood Program is a series of project-based learning:
Number of project:
a series of projects, minimum two projects
Project duration:
six to eight two-hour-sessions per project
Time span per project:
typically once or twice a week across a one-to-two-month time-span (session per week is based on the feasibility of the learners’ work and personal schedule and a more compact schedule can be arranged based on request)
Class size:
from individual class up to group of 12 learners at the same tier of life stage maturity
LifeDesign counselling/coaching:
two to three group counselling sessions (certain students may benefit more through individual counselling/coaching)
Instructors:
methodology and content experts (sometimes an instructor can be both the methodology and content expert)
Pre-requisite:
no (group formation is based on a tier-based approach)
Program Delivery
The program can be delivered in either Chinese or English (Note 2).
(Note 2) - Using English as the delivery language provides opportunities for learners to practise the language skills in a less formal learning environment.
Program Cost
The program cost is determined on a sliding scale of fees to support individual learner's affordability.
Program Coordinator
The Program Coordinator and Lead Instructor of the LifeDesign Program is PY. PY has diverse academic knowledge and professional experience in the design and creative industries. The relevant knowledge and experience were acquired through PY’s employment as Assistant Professor at the School of Design at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Director of Creative Industries Singapore for the Singapore government, and other private sector assignments. Prior to that, PY had studied mechanical engineering and industrial/product design. To fulfil his passion for lifelong learning, PY broadened his knowledge-base by following his belief in “uncovering one’s potential and beyond” through learning. His Master of Business Administration, Master of Education Psychology and Master of Counselling have been fundamental to his success in roles built on a variety of responsibilities required of an educator, a lifespan planning counsellor/coach, and an education psychologist.
"I've heard this before from people: early 20s kind of screws with your head a little bit because you're transitioning into adulthood and actually becoming an adult with responsibilities and paying bills. So all of a sudden, it's like you're responsible now."
- Dan Byrd
Is "Design Thinking" a specialized skill for designers only?
No, Design Thinking is not just for design professionals. Design Thinking is much more than just a disciplinary skill; it has broader applications to a wider audience.
