Keywords in Design Thinking: A Lexical Primer for Technical Communicators and Designers

At a time when design thinking is viewed by many as itself a contested term, Keywords in DesignThinking explores keywords and associated practices related to the use of this critical concept in technical and professional communication. The chapters in this edited collection offer definitions stable enough to allow readers to determine the value of design thinking and to apply and examine its usefulness in the design of technical and professional discourse. The contributors to this collection include faculty at research-intensive and comprehensive colleges, graduate students, and industry practitioners. This configuration of contributors is intended to increase the diversity of perspectives and offer a variety of routes to understanding design thinking.

Jason C. K Tham is assistant professor of Technical Communication and Rhetoric at Texas Tech University and a research partner with the Digital Life Institute at Ontario Tech University. He teaches courses in UX research, information design, instructional design, web publishing, and digital rhetorics. He has published Design Thinking in Technical Communication, Collaborative Writing Playbook, and Designing Technical & Professional Communication. His work has appeared in Technical Communication, Journal of Technical Writing & Communication, Computers and Composition, Technical Communication Quarterly, and IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, among other journals and edited volumes.