It’s time to rethink your entire life plan - Dave Evans

Introduction to Stanford's Life Design Lab00:00

Dave Evans is co-founder of Stanford's Life Design Lab, a small operation in the design program applying design thinking innovation principles to designing life at and after university. Bill and Dave used design thinking at Stanford since 1963, at Apple early days, building Silicon Valley. They applied it to designing their own lives.

Difference Between Traditional Design and Design Thinking00:31

Design has two categories: craft/engineering design (precise, e.g., ergonomist, car designer, graphic designer, illustrator) and design thinking (innovation methodology for new ideas, past 50 years). People saying "design my life" mean engineering it—figuring out, solving, crafting. That's valid, but people get stuck finding their way.

Example: In 1970s, 19-year-old Dave at career center: "What do you want to do?" Hard part is figuring out what you want; getting it is easy.

Life Design Lab objective: Assist in forming conscious competency in life and vocational wayfinding. Life is an improv skit; they are improv trainers. Like orienteering for life direction. Distinction: navigation (know where you are/going, data on space, GPS optimizes straight path) vs. wayfinding (wicked problems, no data on future, empirical "try it" via prototyping—jagged pathway, learn forward, bouncy line is shortest for mortals).

GPS Brain Concept04:00

GPS brain: Forgive yourself for wrong turns; GPS continually updates without judgment. No angry co-pilot even after repeated mistakes. A "move," not a mistake—you learn and adjust.