Guided Design

Guided Design


I had to chuckle when I read the Wilson article. I participated in this exercises in an undergraduate business class. This was the early 1990’s.

A few years later I entered the workforce and attended a “mission statement workshop” where we participated in guided design.

I can’t describe the difference. I found the survival exercise frustrating. There was no explanation of the guided design process. We were thrown in to groups during one class period. The goal in this exercise was not what Trivette promotes that “the goal of guided design is not to get the correct answer.” Instead it was clear to all of us that there was indeed a correct answer.

In contrast, mission statement workshop incorporated many of the components that Trivette stressed. The problem was certainly realistic. We were charged with coming back from the workshop with a draft mission statement. While Casada and DeShazer think that the role of the instructor should be one of a showman, I disagree. The person who guided us through the process at the workshop provided feedback and encouragement throughout. She did not cross the line into salesperson.

I don’t think younger students would enjoy all of the aspects of guided design. I think you could modify the model to be less stringent in its steps if you were going to use this in K-12.