Building design thinking into an authentic Internet of Things instruction

This project integrated design thinking in an authentic Internet of Things (IoT) problem for undergraduate engineering students to develop customer compassion and improve their capacity of solving real-world IoT problems. Engineering students (N = 52) in groups of three were tasked with a series of design thinking activities to devise an IoT solution for smart lighting at a local museum. This article reviews the design thinking experience afforded for the students. Design implications for future offerings of engineering courses are discussed.