Week 2
You Are the
Stakeholder
Sprint 1 is about solving YOUR problem — honestly
Week 2
Sprint 1 is about solving YOUR problem — honestly
Today's Session
Slow Down to Think Better
Why System 2 thinking matters more than ever in the age of AI
5 Whys Deep Dive
Find the design opportunity hidden in your challenge
Peer Challenge + Symbiotic Thinking
Push each other deeper, then use AI to explore further
Solution Architecture Preview
Set up next week's work: human process before technology
By end of today: A root cause you can actually design around, and a clear path to your solution.
Sprint 1 Philosophy
The Logic:
Before you can solve problems for others (Sprints 2-4), prove you can examine your own life honestly. If you can't do that, you'll hide behind external stakeholders.
The Test:
Can you identify something you've wanted to change but felt was beyond your capacity — and approach it as a design problem, not a willpower problem?
You are both the problem-solver AND the stakeholder. That's harder than it sounds.
Patterns from Week 1
"I want to build an app for my friend's business" or "A tool for my study group"
Reframe: What about YOUR life needs to change? What are you avoiding by choosing something external?
"I need to drink more water" or "I should exercise more" — with no analysis of why you haven't
Reframe: Why haven't you? What's actually getting in the way? What would you need to understand?
"I want to be more productive" or "I want to manage my time better"
Reframe: What specific situation keeps happening that you want to change? What does "better" actually look like?
Choosing something that looks good rather than something personally meaningful
Reframe: This sprint is about YOU, not your LinkedIn. What's something you've actually wanted to change?
The Key Distinction
"I need to drink more water. I'll try harder and set reminders."
This is hoping this time will be different. It won't demonstrate superagency — because you haven't learned anything new.
"I reach for soda when stressed. What's the trigger? What need am I meeting? How do I redesign my environment?"
This requires research, self-analysis, and building a personalized system. This is superagency.
The goal isn't to "do better" — it's to understand why you haven't, then engineer a solution.
The Meta Habit
The skill underneath all other skills.
Automatic, intuitive, effortless. Great for familiar situations. This is where AI excels — pattern matching, quick responses, surface-level answers.
Deliberate, effortful, analytical. Required for complex problems, self-examination, and genuine insight. This is YOUR competitive advantage.
In the age of AI, fast thinking is commoditized. Slow thinking is your edge.
AI will always be faster than you at quick answers. What it can't do is the deep, uncomfortable work of genuine self-examination — questioning your assumptions, sitting with discomfort, finding what's really underneath.
This takes intentional practice. It doesn't happen by accident.
Going Deeper
5 Whys is a root cause analysis technique. You start with a problem and ask "Why?" repeatedly until you reach something you can actually address.
Design opportunity: Intentional workspace setup with water visible
Notice: The solution isn't "try harder to remember" — it's a system change.
Individual Reflection
10 minutes. Answer these questions honestly in writing.
1. Is this actually about me?
Is the stakeholder myself — my own wellness, productivity, habits, or growth? Or am I building something for someone else / for external validation?
2. Design problem or willpower problem?
Have I framed the solution as "try harder"? Or as "understand why this is hard, then engineer a solution"?
3. What would I need to LEARN?
If "nothing, I just need to do it" — wrong framing. If it involves understanding psychology, behavior, environment, systems — right framing.
4. What does "solved" look like?
Can you describe a concrete outcome in 4 weeks? Not "I'll be better at X" but "I'll have a system/process that does Y."
Pair Up
7 minutes. Your job is to push your partner.
A good partner helps you see what you're avoiding. Be that partner.
After your conversation:
Peer Conversation Check-in →AI as Thought Partner
Use AI to help you find design opportunities in your challenge.
Open the Symbiotic Thinking Dojo and select the Framer.
Use the prompt below to explore your challenge with AI assistance.
"I've been struggling with [your challenge]. I've tried [what you've tried before] but it hasn't worked. Help me apply the 5 Whys technique to find what's really underneath this — the root cause where I have control and could design a solution rather than just 'try harder'."
Your goal: Find a design opportunity — something about your environment, system, or process you can change.
Looking Ahead
What you're building toward — just two weeks away.
Demo Preview
"Walk through your 5 Whys chain for your challenge. At which 'why' did you find a design opportunity — something you could change about your environment or system rather than just 'try harder'?"
Option A:
"On a scale of 1-10, how much progress did you actually make on your challenge? Defend your rating with specific evidence. What would move you one point higher?"
Option B:
"Describe something you tried that didn't work. Why didn't it work? What did that failure teach you about your challenge or approach?"
Start now. Week 4 is closer than it feels. Your demo should show a journey, not a last-minute cram.
Assignment Preview
Due Monday, February 2 — before Week 3 class
Design the human process first. Then figure out where tech helps.
Most people jump straight to "what should I build?" But that's backwards. First understand what behavior needs to change, then identify where technology can reduce friction.
Human Process
What behavior or habit needs to change? Describe it without mentioning any technology.
Tech Support
Where in that process could technology reduce friction? Be specific about which friction points.
Get Started Now
Use the Symbiotic Thinking Dojo to help you think through your solution architecture. This isn't about AI doing the work — it's about AI helping you think more clearly.
"I'm working on [your challenge]. Through the 5 Whys, I identified [your root cause/design opportunity]. Help me design a solution architecture by thinking through: (1) What human process needs to happen for this to be solved? (2) Where are the friction points where I typically fail? (3) Where could technology help reduce that friction? (4) What's the simplest thing I could build that would test whether this approach works?"
This Week
Challenge Revision
Keep & Clarify, Reframe, or Replace — with specificity
5 Whys Analysis
Go deep on your challenge — find the design opportunity
Solution Architecture
Human process first, then tech support — 5 questions
Productive Reflection #2
What did the 5 Whys reveal?
Before You Leave
Form a group of 3 and book a 5-minute meeting with Prof. Sathya
Do this now before you leave class.