A good design thinking project starts with people, not technology: interview at least five users, write a problem statement, generate ideas, build a cheap prototype, test it with the same people and report what changed. Pick one idea below, follow the five stages (empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test) and keep evidence for each. This is also what project-based learning (PBL) courses at Indian colleges assess.
Get consent before you interview, photograph or record anyone, and collect only the personal data you need (see India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023). Health projects must not give diagnosis or treatment advice. Follow your college's safety rules for hardware and field trials.
Reviewers can tell when a design thinking project starts from a technology looking for a problem. Each idea below names a group of people and a measurable result. The sections after the ideas explain what Indian colleges expect, where to find real briefs and how to write the report.
- 1Empathizetalk to real users
- 2Defineone problem statement
- 3Ideatemany ideas, pick one
- 4Prototypecheap and fast
- 5Testwith the same users
Campus and accessibility
Accessible route finder for your campus
IntermediateA web app, OpenStreetMap
DataRoutes you survey on foot
Stand-outInterviews with wheelchair and low-vision users and a list of routes they tested
Queue-time estimator for the canteen
BeginnerA web app, QR check-in
DataCounts you collect
Stand-outWaiting time before and after, over two weeks
Lab equipment booking and fault logger
IntermediateA web app with a database
DataYour lab's equipment list
Stand-outDowntime reduced, confirmed by the lab in-charge
Sign-language flashcards trainer
IntermediateA mobile-friendly web app
DataVocabulary checked by a teacher
Stand-outA test with learners and an honest note on accuracy
Study-room noise monitor
IntermediateESP32, a sound sensor
DataReadings you collect
Stand-outCalibration against a decibel meter app
Health and wellbeing
Medicine and appointment reminder for elderly relatives
IntermediateA phone-friendly web app
DataA schedule a family member enters
Stand-outLarge text and voice reminders, tested with five older users
Hand-hygiene reminder dispenser
BeginnerArduino, an ultrasonic sensor
DataSensor readings
Stand-outUsage counts during a one-week trial
Desk posture alert
IntermediateA microcontroller, a motion sensor
DataSensor readings
Stand-outAlerts checked against manual observation of volunteers
Symptom diary for people with a long-term condition
IntermediateA web app with strong privacy
DataEntries stored on the user's device
Stand-outInterviews with patients, a clear privacy design and no diagnosis or advice
Health-awareness quiz in regional languages
BeginnerA web app
DataNFHS-5 district data on NDAP
Stand-outDistrict facts with sources and a language review by a native speaker
Mobility and smart cities
Bus-stop crowding reporter
IntermediateA web app, a map
DataReports from commuters
Stand-outA heat map of peak times and accuracy against manual counts
Pothole reporting with photo and location
IntermediateA web app, OpenStreetMap
DataUser reports
Stand-outDuplicate detection and a real sample sent to the civic body
Hyperlocal air quality map for your neighbourhood
IntermediateLow-cost sensors, a map
DataYour sensor readings and public air quality data
Stand-outReadings compared with a nearby official station
Parking availability for a market street
AdvancedManual or camera counts, a web page
DataCounts you collect
Stand-outAccuracy against a manual count over several days
Road-safety black-spot dashboard
IntermediateCharts, a map
DataRoad accident data on data.gov.in (check the dataset's licence)
Stand-outA recommendation backed by cited data
Agriculture and water
Soil moisture alerts for a small plot
IntermediateESP32, a soil sensor
DataYour sensor readings
Stand-outWater used compared with a fixed schedule
Rainwater harvesting calculator for homes
BeginnerA web app
DataRainfall data from Open-Meteo or public records
Stand-outEstimates reviewed by a civil or environmental engineer
Crop price board for local markets
IntermediateA web app
DataAgricultural market prices on data.gov.in
Stand-outInterviews with farmers about what they need
Low-cost grey-water filter prototype
AdvancedA mechanical prototype, water tests
DataA real brief such as the grey-water systems problem statements on the SIH 2026 list
Stand-outWater quality before and after, with the test method written down
Water tank level indicator
BeginnerA microcontroller, an ultrasonic sensor
DataReadings you collect
Stand-outAccuracy against a marked tank
Energy and environment
Campus energy dashboard
IntermediateMeter readings, charts
DataReadings you collect
Stand-outOne change you tried and the number it moved
Plastic waste segregation helper
IntermediateA small image classifier
DataPhotos you take
Stand-outAccuracy on your own photos, not only a public set
E-waste collection scheduler for a housing society
BeginnerA web app
DataPickup requests from residents
Stand-outA pilot with 20 households and their feedback
Solar phone-charging point
AdvancedA solar panel, a charge controller
DataPanel specifications and measurements
Stand-outMeasured charging time and safety checks
Packaging redesign to cut plastic
IntermediateA design study, material tests
DataA real product from a local business
Stand-outWeight and cost saved, plus a user test
Education and community
Peer-tutor matching for first-year students
IntermediateA web app
DataA skills list from volunteers
Stand-outMatch quality rated by the students who were tutored
Local-language science explainers
BeginnerVideos or illustrated cards
DataTopics from the school curriculum
Stand-outA learning check with 20 students
Digital literacy kit for senior citizens
BeginnerA workshop and a printed guide
DataInterviews with older users
Stand-outA skills check before and after the workshop
State SDG dashboard
IntermediateCharts
DataSDG India Index data from NITI Aayog
Stand-outPick an indicator where your state lags and propose one data-backed action
District data explainer in plain language
IntermediateCharts, a short report
DataNFHS-5 district data on NDAP
Stand-outReviewed by a local teacher or health worker for clarity
The five stages in a student project
- Empathize. Interview or observe at least five people who face the problem. Take notes, photos and quotes, and make an empathy map.
- Define. Write one point of view statement and a few How Might We questions, such as: How might we shorten the canteen queue without adding staff?
- Ideate. List at least 20 ideas quickly, then choose one using clear criteria such as cost, time and impact.
- Prototype. Build the cheapest version that can be tested: a paper mock-up, a cardboard model or a small script.
- Test. Put it in front of the same people, record what happened and change it. Say what you would do next.
Free toolkits: the Stanford d.school Design Thinking Bootleg (a free card deck under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), the IDEO Design Kit and the UK Design Council's Double Diamond (CC BY 4.0). IDEO's licence is reported as non-commercial; link to it rather than copying.
What Indian colleges expect from these projects
Rules differ by university and scheme, so read your own syllabus. These examples come from published documents:
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| AICTE model curriculum, CSE (revised) | Includes a 1-credit Design Thinking course (HSMC-102) that teaches the five stages: empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test |
| AICTE model curriculum (2018) and internship policy (2019) | Mini projects in teams of 3 to 4 and project, internship and innovation or entrepreneurship credits |
| VTU | Mini project for a student or a group of at most 4, assessed on continuous evaluation with no end-semester exam |
| Anna University (Regulations 2021) | Project work for one student or a group of at most 4, with three reviews by a committee |
| University of Mumbai (Rev. 2019 C scheme, electrical engineering) | Mini projects in groups of 3 to 4 with a problem statement, a plan and a weekly log book |
| SPPU (2019 pattern) | Project Based Learning in groups of 5 to 6, assessed continuously |
| JNTU Hyderabad (R22, CS and Design) | A full Design Thinking course built on a seven-step process, ending in a capstone |
National Education Policy 2020 names design thinking only at school level. For higher education it encourages experiential, inquiry-driven learning, projects and internships. It does not require design thinking in engineering degrees, so check what your department actually asks.
What makes a good PBL project
PBLWorks describes seven elements of well-designed project-based learning. In plain words: a challenging problem, sustained inquiry over time, authenticity (a real need), student voice and choice, reflection, critique and revision, and a public product shown to people beyond the classroom. SPPU's PBL course asks for the same things: a real problem, a literature survey, awareness of social and ethical issues and an exhibition or demo. A 2024 review of the literature, Lavado-Anguera and others, found PBL promising for engineering skills but dependent on careful implementation.
Where to find real problems and data
| Source | What you get | Terms to check |
|---|---|---|
| data.gov.in | Government datasets and APIs by sector | Many datasets use the Government Open Data Licence, which needs an attribution line |
| NDAP, NITI Aayog | Merged datasets such as NFHS-5 district indicators | Check the download and licence terms |
| SDG India Index | State and UT scores on the 17 goals | No licence stated: cite the source |
| OpenCity | Urban data and data stories for Indian cities | Check each dataset |
| Smart Cities open data | City datasets and data stories | States GODL-India; some features need sign-in |
| SIH problem statements | 264 ministry and PSU briefs for 2026 (68 hardware, 196 software) | The 2026 submission window is closed; use them as briefs and watch for the next edition |
| MOSDAC (ISRO) | Satellite weather and ocean data | Custom data access policy |
| WHO Global Health Observatory | Health indicators by country | WHO data terms, with credit required |
| Arduino, Raspberry Pi and ESP-IDF docs | Official hardware guides and examples | Free to read |
NPTEL's free course Design Thinking: A Primer from IIT Madras ran from 19 January to 13 February 2026, and its next run had not been announced on 4 November 2026.
A report template that matches most college formats
- Title, team, guide and dates.
- Need and problem statement, with evidence from interviews, a survey or a dataset.
- Existing solutions and a short literature survey.
- Aim and objectives.
- Design thinking evidence: empathy map, point of view, ideas considered, prototype photos, test feedback.
- Design: block diagram or wireframes.
- Implementation, with a bill of materials and cost.
- Test plan and results, with analysis.
- Environment, social, ethics, safety and legal considerations.
- Limitations, learnings and future work, plus references and a log book.
Colleges weigh these differently. SPPU's PBL scheme, for example, gives 50% to the outcome, 25% to documentation, 10% to demonstration and 5% each to idea inception, contests or publications, and awareness of environment and ethics. VTU assesses report, presentation and viva in the ratio 50:25:25. Ask your guide for your own rubric.
Frequently asked questions
What are good design thinking project ideas for engineering students?
Projects built around real users: an accessible campus route finder, a canteen queue estimator, a medicine reminder for elderly relatives or a soil moisture alert for a small plot. Each starts with interviews and ends with a test.
What are the stages of design thinking?
At Stanford's d.school they are empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test. IDEO uses inspiration, ideation and implementation, and the Design Council's Double Diamond uses discover, define, develop and deliver.
What is project-based learning (PBL) in engineering?
Learning by working on a real problem over weeks, in a team, and showing a result to an audience. Several Indian universities run PBL or mini project courses, for example SPPU's PBL in groups of 5 to 6.
How is a mini project different from a final-year project?
A mini project is shorter and smaller, often 2 credits and a team of 3 or 4. A final-year project is larger and includes more testing and a fuller report. See the final-year project ideas.
Does NEP 2020 require design thinking in engineering?
No. It names design thinking only for school education. For higher education it encourages experiential learning, projects and internships.
Learn this with mentors
Programmes for students and freshers with admissions open: live classes, mentors and project work.
