Create A Design-Led Capstone Program & Curriculum for Future Global Changemakers
Duration: Apr 2021 - Aug 2021 | Role: Curriculum design, Interaction design, User research
Yungu School is a private K–12 institution in Hangzhou, China, founded by Jack Ma and supported by Alibaba partners. With a mission to “bring out the best in every child” and nurture “innovators for social good,” the school sought a more purposeful pathway to help graduating students make meaningful, real-world impact. In partnership with IDEO, we co-designed an 18-month, design-led capstone program that equips students with the mindsets, tools, and confidence to embrace a growth mindset, create real-world impact, and pursue admission to their dream universities. The program features a cohesive, interdisciplinary curriculum and comprehensive teaching materials that support both students and instructors throughout the journey—from sparking curiosity and building empathy to prototyping and storytelling.
How Might We Create a signature design-led capstone program that equips students with the mindsets and skills to become global change makers?
Outcome
Capstone Blueprint and Curriculum Design
As the core outcome of our collaboration, we developed a structured and iterative capstone blueprint that translates design thinking into an 18-month learning journey. Built around five progressive modules—Get Inspired, Find Yourself, Dive Deep, Go Big, and Give Back—the program helps students grow their confidence and agency as they turn ideas into real-world impact. Each module includes detailed teaching materials, unit-level content, assessment criteria, and guidance on space and tools needed to support implementation.
Detailed Unit Content and Facilitation Materials
For each unit, we created a detailed overview that breaks down the learning journey into individual sessions. These session-level guides include timelines, activity flows, unit structures, expected student outputs, required tools, and even suggested homework assignments—providing a clear and actionable roadmap for both teachers and students.
Worksheets & Tools for Every Stage
To support teachers in facilitation and help students navigate their projects with clarity, we designed over 20 customized worksheets across the entire capstone journey. These tools guide students step by step—from identifying personal strengths and selecting a meaningful project topic to structuring user interviews, synthesizing insights, framing opportunities, and building prototypes. Each worksheet is purposefully crafted to translate abstract mindsets into tangible, actionable progress.
Learner’s Journey
Every student begins the capstone journey from a different starting point, with unique strengths, motivations, and support needs. To help educators better empathize with these diverse experiences, we created three student personas based on interviews with real Yungu students. Each persona maps a distinct journey through the program—highlighting how students discover their passions, develop new ideas to address real-world challenges, and ultimately create meaningful impact. These narratives provide insight into how different types of learners engage with the program and offer practical guidance for coaches and cohort leaders on how to support them at key moments.
Teacher Training and Facilitation Guide
To ensure a strong foundation for the new course, we designed a week-long design thinking training for Yungu’s teachers. This professional development experience equipped them to shift from traditional instructors to facilitative coaches—guiding students through open-ended projects, creative problem-solving, and final presentations, rather than standardized exams. A detailed teaching guide was also developed to support facilitation throughout the capstone journey.
Immersive Exhibition to Launch the Program
To introduce the capstone program to the wider school community, we designed an immersive exhibition that allowed educators, students, and parents to experience the curriculum firsthand. The showcase brought the content modules to life, offering a tangible glimpse into the transformative learning journey ahead.
