Out of the Storm. A Design Education Multi-Methodological Approach on the Topic of Migrations

Migrants, asylum seekers and refugees are just some of the terms used to indicate people that leave their homes for many different, and often painful, reasons to go to foreign and some- times hostile countries. The long journey that migrants must un- dertake and their stay in reception facilities are just some of the problems that they have to face. These and many other delicate aspects of a migrant’s life have been the main topic of the product design lab at the University of San Marino. Migration appears to be just one of the more significant issues in the political, economic and cultural reflections within the current historical context, but it may be taken as an example of how a design lab can approach a social topic. The paper focuses in particular on the overview of a multimethodological approach – told through the project of the students– based on Design Thinking and Lateral Thinking. The mix of these two methodologies leads students to design and learn along the consolidated path of Design Thinking but with the un- known and unexpected intervention of Lateral Thinking. Thank to this approach, students can learn how to address social issues as they forge their civic consciousness.