William Nickley
MFA Design Research and Development, 2020

Project Description:
This research examines how design-based making strategically supports the outcomes of Positive Youth Development (PYD) programs. PYD is understood as a developmental process, an approach to youth programming, and as instances of youth programs and organizations focused on fostering the positive development of youth by engaging youth within their communities, schools, organizations, peer groups and families in a constructive manner. While a review of the literature revealed PYD successfully mobilizes other types of making in its programming (arts-based, sciences-based, etc.), it remains blind to the avenues and opportunities offered by design-based making. Through a pilot test of a PYD program, this research examines how design-based making might provide opportunities within PYD programming to support and foster PYD objectives. The study was designed and conducted to capture youth experiences during a six-week out-of-school PYD program at a Boys & Girls Clubs of Columbus location (Ohio). Youth experiences were analyzed through inductive and deductive thematic analyses, which resulted in eight emergent sub-themes organized under two main themes: A Design Journey is Personal; and Design Facilitates an Emergent Network of Contribution. Each theme revealed aspects of how design-based making supports PYD program outcomes. The research concludes with a roadmap future research and practice to further connect the domains of Design and PYD.

URL: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1594656061637407

Committee Members:
Sébastien Proulx, Elizabeth Sanders, Lauren McInroy, Susan Melsop

Keywords:
Design, Design thinking, Design making, Design process, Design-based making, Self-efficacy, Positive youth development, Social design