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Have you ever struggled with a problem and thought, “There has to be a better way to solve the issue”? That spark of curiosity is what drives Design Thinking. But before jumping to solutions, the process begins with empathy—understanding real needs to create meaningful, human-centered solutions.

In the first session of our three-part workshop series on Design Thinking, we’ll explore how to develop a deep understanding of the people experiencing a problem. Through hands-on exercises, you’ll learn to observe, engage, and uncover insights, spotting patterns in behavior and contradictions between what people say and do.

To guide you through the process, we’ll introduce tools like the Empathy Map Canvas to capture thoughts and emotions, User Personas to bring perspectives to life, and User Journey Mapping to reveal pain points and opportunities. These techniques help move beyond assumptions to uncover what truly matters. For example, if you were redesigning a study space, instead of assuming students need more tables, you might discover that noise, poor lighting, or a lack of collaborative areas are the real challenges—leading to a more thoughtful solution.

By the end of this session, you’ll know how to define a clear problem statement based on real human needs. Whether you're working on a class project, leading an initiative, or tackling an everyday challenge, these skills will help you think differently and create solutions that make an impact.

Join us and see how empathy transforms problem-solving.

For Whom?

This workshop is open to all UU students who are eager to learn! No prior knowledge or preparation is required. The workshop is free, but once you register, we do expect you to show up and actively participate. Please refer to our no-show policy below for more details.
Note: The workshop will be conducted in English.

By Whom?

This workshop is led by Wiepke Koekenberg and/or Bianca Meyer. With a background in Business Administration and Marketing, Wiepke facilitates several Playground workshops, including Branding and Design Thinking. As a coach, she helps students turn their startup ideas into growing businesses and impactful events. Bianca, our Events and Community Manager, facilitates workshops like Design Thinking and Effectuation while organizing community initiatives at Playground. Feel free to reach out to either Wiepke or Bianca to explore our coaching and community opportunities!

Our No-Show Policy

We're excited to offer our workshops for free, but free doesn’t mean free of responsibility. Our workshops thrive on participant interaction, and we love providing snacks and drinks to enhance your experience. Late cancellations and no-shows make it harder for us to continue offering these perks. We need your help to make this possible, and here's how we work:

• Once you sign up for a workshop, we expect you to attend.
• If you need to cancel, please do so as early as possible—at least 24 hours before the workshop.
• Failing to show up without notice will result in a temporary 8-week suspension from all Playground activities.
• Two consecutive no-shows will result in a suspension from all Playground activities for the remainder of the academic year.

We appreciate your cooperation in making our workshops a great experience for everyone and look forward to seeing you at Playground.