Assessing student performance in design thinking: a conceptual framework

This study examines the literature on design thinking education, focusing on nonprofessional design from the perspective of student performance assessment. Several theoretical views on design thinking assessment are discussed, distinguishing among competency, organizational capability, creative capability, and divergent thinking. A variety of performance dimensions is also analyzed: factual knowledge, applied knowledge, output assets, process knowledge, team project, behavior, and mind-set. The main contribution of the paper is a conceptual framework that organizes these theoretical views and performance dimensions. This conceptual endeavor is complemented by a more practical discussion of assessment items and specific conditions required for assessment. In this way, the paper shows how this conceptual framework supports educators in exploring and articulating multifaceted assessment schemes, making strategic decisions using a set of logically related concepts, and conveying the underlying rationale to students. The study contributes an instrumental tool for disciplined approaches to assessing student performance in design thinking, offers a graphical synthesis of the complexity of DT assessment, and supports requisite variety, visibility, balance, and interdisciplinary awareness.