Different generations often see the world through different lenses. Oftentimes, this can create barriers to understanding, collaboration, and belonging. How might design help younger and older generations learn from one another, share stories, and build meaningful relationships? Consider areas like communication styles, traditions, shared spaces, or everyday experiences where generations often feel disconnected. Create a solution where design sparks understanding, connection, inclusion, or shared experiences across age groups.
Earlier this month, Rice University hosted a three-day virtual design-a-thon. Over 200 student designers used UI/UX research & design principles to create user-centered solutions to the above prompt.
Designing for all ages seems intuitive on paper, but what does it look like in practice? For this week’s issue, 4 Rice design-a-thon judges shared their perspectives on the principles of age-inclusive design and how they can be applied to different disciplines & hackathon projects. Although each judge was individually emailed for their answers, I’ve arranged their responses to mirror an in-person conversation for clarity and conciseness.
From left to right: Chuck Aligbe, Sara Clayton, Jack LaViola, Grace Susilo. Images courtesy of the Rice design-at-thon website.
with multidisciplinary experience designing for physical, virtual, and mixed reality spaces.
who designs complex systems for big tech & explores how AI, as a tool, can improve workflows.
with previous experience in themed entertainment design for companies like Disney and Universal.
who designs for Fortune-500 clients across international audiences.
Whether it was a desire to support future designers or a request from previous interns, each judge valued the opportunity to continue the cycle of mentorship that shaped their careers in college. Susilo noted that judging the design-a-thon allowed her to share what she’s learned throughout her career with student designers. “When I was a student”, Susilo wrote, “mentors in the industry played a big role in shaping my perspective and growth as a designer, so it is especially fulfilling to support students who are just beginning their careers”.
On a similar note, LaViola noted that mentorship is one of his favorite parts of being a designer. “I try to make time after competitions to connect with students, walk through their projects in detail, and offer whatever insights or support I can as they navigate their early careers…[These] are the designers I’ll be working alongside in a few years, and I want them to be exceptional. I wouldn’t be where I am without designers who invested their time in me, so paying that forward feels both important and necessary”.
Opportunities like the Rice design-a-thon are still quite new, with many hosting their first iteration within the past 5 years. “As a Rice alum, I immediately jumped at the opportunity to help out my fellow Owls with the competition. I didn’t have anything like this while I was at Rice, so it has been quite an enriching experience to see how much things have changed,” Aligbe explained.
Along with being a new way for industry professionals to connect with student designers, judging the Rice design-a-thon immersed judges in the inspirational chaos of risk-taking designs. “Students often take risks that professionals sometimes forget they’re allowed to take,” explained LaViola. Tackling ambiguous problems resulted in “moments of real brilliance”, serving as a testimony for how design-a-thons are incubators for innovation.