Empathize
Empathize
Students will investigate how different members of the Albuquerque community experience and understand New Mexico history in order to ground their future parade float designs in real stories, needs, and misconceptions. Through direct interviews, observation, and structured empathy tools, students will gather evidence from at least two real users and translate that evidence into empathy maps and personas that will guide problem definition in the next phase.
Days 1 - 14
Define
Define
Students will synthesize their New Mexico history interviews and source research into a focused, user-centered problem statement that will guide the design of their parade float. They will identify patterns across multiple users, define a clear "How Might We" question grounded in evidence, and refine it through peer critique before advancing to ideation.
Days 15 - 28
Ideate
Ideate
Students will generate a wide range of float concepts grounded in real user evidence, push beyond obvious first ideas using structured ideation strategies, and converge on 2–3 strong concepts supported by documented rationale tied directly to community needs and historical accuracy.
Days 29 - 46
Prototype
Prototype
Students will build, test, and revise increasingly sophisticated parade float prototypes that communicate a specific New Mexico historical event to a real audience. They will move from rapid cardboard mockups to detailed scale models, document user feedback, and produce an iteration log showing how community input improved historical clarity and audience engagement.
Days 47 - 68
Test/Present
Test/Present
Students will validate their refined parade float designs with new community users, make final evidence-based revisions, and publicly present their full-scale Community-Centered Historical Parade Float during the Albuquerque parade, clearly tracing design decisions back to user research and documented iterations.
Days 69 - 90
Empathize
Days 1–14
Day 1
🎉 Meet Parade Stakeholders
Launch
65m
Day 2
🧠 Empathy Mapping Workshop
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 3
🎤 Interview Protocol Lab
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 4
🎭 Practice Interviews & Feedback
Project Work
65m
👥 Second User Interviews
Community Experience
65m
Day 5
🏘️ Community History Interviews
Community Experience
65m
Day 6
Day 7
🔎 Observation & Parade Context Walk
Research
65m
Day 8
🗂️ Empathy Map Drafts
Deliverable
65m
Day 9
🔄 Empathy Map Peer Critique
Deliverable
65m
Day 10
👤 User Persona Creation
Deliverable
65m
Day 11
📚 Source Triangulation Mini-Lesson
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 12
🧾 Research & Interview Synthesis
Research
65m
Day 13
🛑 Empathy Evidence Checkpoint
Assessment
65m
Day 14
Define
Days 15–28
Day 15
🧩 Clustering Community Interview Quotes
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 16
🗺️ Affinity Map Evidence Wall
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 17
🎭 Evidence-Based User Persona
Deliverable
65m
Day 18
🌳 Problem Tree of Misunderstanding
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 19
✏️ Drafting Parade Float HMW Statements
Deliverable
65m
Day 20
🔍 Assumption Check Protocol
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 21
🧠 Converging on One HMW
Project Work
65m
Day 22
📜 Writing the Design Brief
Deliverable
65m
Day 23
🗣️ Design Brief Peer Critique Round
Deliverable
65m
Day 24
✅ Problem Definition Milestone
Assessment
65m
Day 25
Day 26
Day 27
Day 28
Ideate
Days 29–46
Day 29
🧠 Rapid Float Idea Sprint
Deliverable
65m
Day 30
✏️ Crazy-8s Float Sketches
Deliverable
65m
Day 31
🔍 SCAMPER the Historical Float
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 32
🌎 Analogous Inspiration Gallery
Research
65m
Day 33
🎨 Symbol & Storytelling Workshop
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 34
📣 Peer Concept Feedback Round
Deliverable
65m
Day 35
📊 User-Need Decision Matrix
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 36
🗳️ Converging on Top Concepts
Deliverable
65m
Day 37
🖼️ User Journey Storyboards
Deliverable
65m
Day 38
👥 Community Concept Critique
Community Experience
65m
Day 39
🔁 Concept Revision Log
Deliverable
65m
Day 40
✅ Concept Approval Pitch
Assessment
65m
Day 41
Day 42
Day 43
Day 44
Day 45
Day 46
Prototype
Days 47–68
Day 47
🛠️ Durable Float Engineering Lab
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 48
🎨 Symbol & Storytelling Workshop
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 49
📏 Scale Model Math Studio
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 50
📦 Rapid Cardboard Float V1
Project Work
65m
Day 51
🔍 Peer Feedback Protocol Round 1
Deliverable
65m
Day 52
🔄 Prototype V2 Revision Build
Project Work
65m
Day 53
🧪 Community Walkthrough Testing
Community Experience
65m
Day 54
📝 User Testing Synthesis Log
Deliverable
65m
Day 55
🏗️ Detailed Scale Model V3
Project Work
65m
Day 56
🎤 Peer Critique Round 2
Deliverable
65m
Day 57
🔧 Final Prototype Refinement
Project Work
65m
Day 58
📚 Prototype Iteration Portfolio Check
Assessment
65m
Day 59
Day 60
Day 61
Day 62
Day 63
Day 64
Day 65
Day 66
Day 67
Day 68
Test/Present
Days 69–90
Day 69
🗣️ New User Testing Protocols
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 70
👥 Fresh Eyes Float Testing
Community Experience
65m
Day 71
🔁 V3 Float Revisions
Project Work
65m
Day 72
📝 Design Journey Storyboard
Deliverable
65m
Day 73
🎤 Presentation Craft Workshop
Knowledge/Skill Building
65m
Day 74
🎥 Peer Feedback Roundtables
Deliverable
65m
Day 75
🛠️ Final Float Build & Safety Check
Project Work
65m
Day 76
🎙️ Dress Rehearsal with Guests
Community Experience
65m
Day 77
Day 78
Day 79
Day 80
🎉 Albuquerque Parade Exhibition
Assessment
65m
Day 81
Day 82
🏛️ Design Solution Presentation
Assessment
65m
Day 83
Day 84
Day 85
Day 86
Day 87
Day 88
Day 89
Day 90
August 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
24
Day 1
Empathize
🎉 Meet Parade Stakeholders
25
Day 2
🧠 Empathy Mapping Workshop
26
Day 3
🎤 Interview Protocol Lab
27
Day 4
🎭 Practice Interviews & Feedback
👥 Second User Interviews
28
Day 5
🏘️ Community History Interviews
September 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
31
Day 6
1
Day 7
🔎 Observation & Parade Context Walk
2
Day 8
🗂️ Empathy Map Drafts
3
Day 9
🔄 Empathy Map Peer Critique
4
Day 10
👤 User Persona Creation
7
Day 11
📚 Source Triangulation Mini-Lesson
8
Day 12
🧾 Research & Interview Synthesis
9
Day 13
🛑 Empathy Evidence Checkpoint
10
Day 14
11
Day 15
Define
🧩 Clustering Community Interview Quotes
14
Day 16
🗺️ Affinity Map Evidence Wall
15
Day 17
🎭 Evidence-Based User Persona
16
Day 18
🌳 Problem Tree of Misunderstanding
17
Day 19
✏️ Drafting Parade Float HMW Statements
18
Day 20
🔍 Assumption Check Protocol
21
Day 21
🧠 Converging on One HMW
22
Day 22
📜 Writing the Design Brief
23
Day 23
🗣️ Design Brief Peer Critique Round
24
Day 24
✅ Problem Definition Milestone
25
Day 25
28
Day 26
29
Day 27
30
Day 28
1
Day 29
Ideate
🧠 Rapid Float Idea Sprint
2
Day 30
✏️ Crazy-8s Float Sketches
October 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
5
Day 31
🔍 SCAMPER the Historical Float
6
Day 32
🌎 Analogous Inspiration Gallery
7
Day 33
🎨 Symbol & Storytelling Workshop
8
Day 34
📣 Peer Concept Feedback Round
9
Day 35
📊 User-Need Decision Matrix
12
Day 36
🗳️ Converging on Top Concepts
13
Day 37
🖼️ User Journey Storyboards
14
Day 38
👥 Community Concept Critique
15
Day 39
🔁 Concept Revision Log
16
Day 40
✅ Concept Approval Pitch
19
Day 41
20
Day 42
21
Day 43
22
Day 44
23
Day 45
26
Day 46
27
Day 47
Prototype
🛠️ Durable Float Engineering Lab
28
Day 48
🎨 Symbol & Storytelling Workshop
29
Day 49
📏 Scale Model Math Studio
30
Day 50
📦 Rapid Cardboard Float V1
November 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
2
Day 51
🔍 Peer Feedback Protocol Round 1
3
Day 52
🔄 Prototype V2 Revision Build
4
Day 53
🧪 Community Walkthrough Testing
5
Day 54
📝 User Testing Synthesis Log
6
Day 55
🏗️ Detailed Scale Model V3
9
Day 56
🎤 Peer Critique Round 2
10
Day 57
🔧 Final Prototype Refinement
11
Day 58
📚 Prototype Iteration Portfolio Check
12
Day 59
13
Day 60
16
Day 61
17
Day 62
18
Day 63
19
Day 64
20
Day 65
23
Day 66
24
Day 67
25
Day 68
26
Day 69
Test/Present
🗣️ New User Testing Protocols
27
Day 70
👥 Fresh Eyes Float Testing
December 2026
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
30
Day 71
🔁 V3 Float Revisions
1
Day 72
📝 Design Journey Storyboard
2
Day 73
🎤 Presentation Craft Workshop
3
Day 74
🎥 Peer Feedback Roundtables
4
Day 75
🛠️ Final Float Build & Safety Check
7
Day 76
🎙️ Dress Rehearsal with Guests
8
Day 77
9
Day 78
10
Day 79
11
Day 80
🎉 Albuquerque Parade Exhibition
14
Day 81
15
Day 82
🏛️ Design Solution Presentation
16
Day 83
17
Day 84
18
Day 85
21
Day 86
22
Day 87
23
Day 88
24
Day 89
25
Day 90