Defining problems, finding solutions, and developing prototypes to test and improve those solutions – these are the key elements of Solve for Tomorrow. In 2022, 600 students aged 12 to 16 from 33 school classes in Switzerland joined the project and have since then moved on to phase 2, the Design Thinking Workshop. During the Design Thinking sessions, students were challenged to find a societal problem and present innovative ideas that can be a solution.

Seeing society in the eyes of a superhero

“Let’s think about this problem from the perspective of Batman, and next time as Hermione Granger.” By slipping into the roles of their favorite superhero characters, the students of Switzerland learned how to approach a problem from various perspectives. They let their ideas and creativity run free through different brainstorming sessions. “Choosing different superheroes’ perspectives – like Batman, Wonder Woman, or James Bond – to analyze societal issues helped us realize that there could be more than one solution to a problem. It is all about having a different point of view and creating unique solutions!” said one of the participants.

Understanding the value of creativity, a central competence for the future

The basic principle of design thinking is ‘thinking out of the box’: to find improved solutions through empathy and understanding for others. This method starts with generating ideas; students then learn to check their suitability and feasibility. Some ideas may seem different, but by not immediately discarding them, students can recognize the true value of creativity.

Walter Caprez, a teacher from Trimmis Secondary School, said, “Design Thinking Workshop illustrates how vulnerable we are to being trapped in an ‘everyday’ or a ‘realistic’ pattern. Opportunities and ideas arise when you let go of everything that restricts you and free yourself from thinking too narrow.”

Technology and globalization have effectively transformed the way we work, and companies are increasingly seeking employees with creative problem-solving abilities. Solve for Tomorrow trains young people to become innovative thinkers through relevant challenges based on specific projects.

After the Design Thinking Workshop, the students will take their projects to the next level and develop real-life prototypes to present to the judges. We hope that Design Thinking has inspired all students’ creativity and divergent thinking, pushing them one more step to creating an innovative STEM solution that can bring positive changes to the world.