A Session on Design Thinking and Sustainable Development

The session on "Design Thinking and Social Transformation" was conducted as part of the First-Year Orientation Program at KG Reddy College of Engineering and Technology. The objective was to introduce first-year B. Tech students to the principles of Design Thinking and highlight its role in driving social change. The session aimed to foster a problem-solving mindset among students and encourage them to develop innovative solutions for real-world challenges. The session began with an introduction to Design Thinking, explaining its five stages: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. The emphasis was placed on the human-centered approach in innovation, ensuring that students understood how this methodology can be used to address complex problems. This was followed by a discussion on the role of Design Thinking in social transformation, where real-life examples were presented to demonstrate how this approach has been successfully applied to communitydriven solutions. To make the session engaging, interactive activities were incorporated, including brainstorming exercises where students identified various societal problems. Group discussions were facilitated to encourage students to think creatively and propose innovative solutions using Design Thinking methodologies. Additionally, case studies and real-time applications were highlighted, showcasing successful innovations from KGRCET's Centre for Innovation and Social Transformation. Prototypes developed by students previous projects were also presented as inspiration.