The Innovation and Design Club at Chicago Booth is creating its first design thinking competition that brings together top talent students with different backgrounds. If you are an undergrad, MBA, PhD, or any other student affiliated with The University of Chicago, you are invited to be part of the challenge. You and your group will tackle a real-world problem while learning about the design thinking process and strengthening your design skill set. We have partnered with the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), which aims to enrich Chicago’s artistic vitality and cultural vibrancy. As our sponsor, they will give all participants a Challenge “prompt” to solve through the design thinking process.

Key Dates:

• Application Deadline: Monday, April 8 | By 5:00 p.m., Online Submission
  Sign up as a team (3-5 people) or an individual and submit your registration fee ($80/team or $20/individual, UChicago undergraduates are free) by the application deadline.
• Session 1: Monday, April 15 | 6:00-9:00 p.m., Chicago Cultural Center (78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602), Learning Lab 1st floor
  Join us as for our first session where we will unveil the design challenge prompt and introduce you to our sponsor at the City of Chicago. Following the unveiling of the prompt, Professor Lindsey Lyman will lead a workshop on conducting effective user research. In between sessions, teams will have access to coaching by business design professionals.
• Session 2: Saturday, April 27 | 9:00-4:00 p.m., Polsky Exchange North (1452 E. 53rd St., 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60615), Promontory Point Conference Room
  In our second session, you will learn to identify insights from your research to guide your design approach. You will then learn how design professionals use iteration to improve their solutions and build your first prototype.
• Presentation: Friday, May 17  | 6:00-9:00 p.m., Polsky Exchange North (1452 E. 53rd St., 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60615), Promontory Point Conference Room
  Showtime! In our final session, you will present to a panel of judges made up of design professionals, professors and officials from the City of Chicago. Teams will be judged primarily on the depth of user insights they uncovered and the progress they made through iteration. Prizes will be awarded to the top teams.

Learn more and apply online at:
https://uchicagoinnovationchallenge.squarespace.com