DT:DC Summer of Design

Design Thinking DC (DT:DC) is a meetup in which members practice human-centered design methods by applying them to local and nationwide challenges. Phil was an active member in the diverse learning community for about 5 years. The Summer of Design, DT:DC’s annual flagship program, is a facilitated, team-based experience where participants use design thinking to address real problems faced by organizations in the local community. The Summer of Design is comprised of several workshops over 10 weeks and a design competition. Mentors are paired with each team to assist as they work their way through the design process.

As a participant in Summer of Design 2013, Phil sought to bolster federal employee engagement in partnership with the US General Services Administration (GSA) Performance Improvement Council. His team developed and prototyped “The 10% Challenge” program in which government agencies would allow select teams of employees to dedicate 10% of their time over 1 year to receive human-centered design training and then apply in, with the help of coaches, on a big agency challenge they identify.

As a mentor in Summer of Design 2015, Phil coached a team through the ideation, inspiration, and implementation process as they worked with PBS to bolster the public media agency's support of under-served youth. The team delivered a design that tied for top ratings from an expert panel of judges.