Life Design (Stanford)

What is Life Design (Stanford)?

Design thinking methodology applied to life decisions, created by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans at Stanford. Uses empathy, reframing, ideation, prototyping, and testing to approach life's big questions like a designer rather than an optimizer.

Is there evidence for it?

How do you do Life Design (Stanford)?

1. 1.Assess your current life using the AEIOU activity log (Activities, Environments, Interactions, Objects, Users) to identify energy and engagement patterns
2. 2.Create three distinct 'Odyssey Plans' — alternative 5-year life scenarios including timeline, dashboard gauges for resources/confidence/likability, and a 3-word title
3. 3.Prototype your top options through small experiments: conversations with people living that life, short immersion experiences, or weekend trials
4. 4.Evaluate prototypes not by pros/cons lists but by how they made you feel — energy, engagement, and flow
5. 5.Iterate and reframe: if stuck, redefine the problem rather than forcing a solution; accept there's no single 'best life' — only well-designed ones

How long does it take?

2-4 hours per week for 8-12 weeks initial design phase.

Is it hard to start?

medium.

This is one entry from the library Shift matches against. It is general information, not advice about you, and nothing on this page came from anyone's conversation.