Waving Our Magic Wands: Harnessing the Power of Design Thinking presentation handout

1. Design Process: your key to creative problem solving
What’s for
dinner
Engaging with Waukon
Accept Situation
Analyze
Define
Ideate
Select
Implement
Evaluate
Waving Our Magic Wands: Harnessing the Power of Design Thinking
Bates+Erickson Iowa State University
Upper Midwest Civic Engagement Summit 2014

2. Credit: Universal Traveler, Koberg and Bagnall, 1976.
Waving Our Magic Wands: Harnessing the Power of Design Thinking
Bates+Erickson Iowa State University
Upper Midwest Civic Engagement Summit 2014

3. “Waving our Magic Wands: Harnessing the Power of Design Thinking”
The Waukon, Iowa community has come to you to help address their future. Working in a
multidisciplinary group, utilize your own discipline and use the 7 steps discussed today to create
a process specific for the community of Waukon.
The City of Waukon, Iowa
Background:
• Waukon is the county seat located in Allamakee County
o Located 17 miles from the Wisconsin border, 18 miles from the Minnesota
boarder, and 15 miles from the Mississippi River
• The county and the city of Waukon have experienced a downward trend in population
over the last ten years.
o Fewer than 4,000 in the city
o County population of 14,300
• Historically an agricultural based community and not a destination community
o Looking at how to position their future
• Scenic natural setting numerous parks, historical sites, and a number of recreational and
outdoor opportunities.
• Cost of living is below the national average
• Features include
o Excellent educational system, golf courses, a 46 acre city park, trails, wellness
and aquatic center, local merchants, a local radio station, weekly newspaper,
municipal airport, and state of the art medical facilities
• The median age is 44.6
o US it is 37.5
o 98.5% White in ethnicity and the county is 95.7% White
o 11.2% of families living under poverty around the same amount for the state of
Iowa
• Loss or leakage of retail dollars from the city
o Main Street houses a number of independent retailers along with a number of
empty retail spaces, buildings in need of repair, and underutilized housing
options.
Waving Our Magic Wands: Harnessing the Power of Design Thinking
Bates+Erickson Iowa State University
Upper Midwest Civic Engagement Summit 2014