ABSTRACT
When coding happens while working with robotics, as in Jamie's story, the design process shares similarities with the engineering design process. Educators find similarities with the process of developing curriculum and, of course, software developers with writing code. The playground approach to coding supports different learning and designing styles. This chapter describes the design process involved in programming. The design process makes computational thinking visible: coding becomes a tool of expression and communication. The engineering design process is a methodical series of steps that engineers use when creating functional products and processes. Like the engineering design process, the computational design process gives students another tool for systematic thinking. Designing is a messy activity, and while design processes provide frameworks for organizing activities, they are not always neatly followed in practice. The design process that engages children in the journey from having an idea to sharing a project provides opportunities for modeling useful life-long learning habits.
