Design Thinking in Technical Communication

Jason Chew Kit Tham is an assistant professor of technical communication and rhetoric in the Department of English and co-director of the User Experience Research Lab at Texas Tech University.

"Dr. Jason Tham's work with design thinking provides a model for all voices to be heard within an innovative problem-solving framework that connects rigorous research with the spirit of an entrepreneurial mindset. A compelling read for anyone considering the future of technical communication and the ways in which the field can embrace radical collaborations to untangle wicked social problems." — Dr. Laura A. Palmer, Chair and Professor of Technical Communication and Rhetoric, Kennesaw State University "Design Thinking in Technical Communication: Solving Problems through Making and Collaboration is a book that traverses the dual genres of theory and praxis. What Tham does in this book is significant for our field: he identifies design thinking as a way to address the social aspect of technical communication, which is rapidly becoming a touchstone for addressing contemporary problems. Viewing technical communication as a catalyst for invention and innovation allows us to introduce students to ways they can solve complex problems through design thinking and making. What I appreciate about this text is that Tham addresses both the theoretical and practical aspects of his topic. He provides pedagogical strategies at the end of each chapter, which demonstrate how practitioners can enact the ideas he presents in their own classrooms. Moreover, the focus on empathy and radical collaboration as components of technical communication practice reinforces the need to reframe our field in ways that focus on the human condition. This book serves as a framework for seeing our field as a site for positive changemaking. I would recommend this text as a good introduction to the concept of design thinking, as well as ways to integrate it into classrooms." — Dr. Jennifer Bay, Associate Professor of English and Director of Professional Writing, Purdue University

• 1. Introducing Design Thinking (and Making) for Technical Communication 2. The Maker Movement and Its Influences on Technical Communication and Higher Learning: A Look at Three Makerspaces 3. Social Innovation: Designing Humane Technical Communication 4. Making and Design Thinking as Pedagogical Strategies for Social Advocacy 5. Cultivating Radical Collaboration in Technical Communication 6. Conclusion: Disrupting and Innovating in Technical Communication through Making and Design Thinking