The document summarizes findings from a pilot workshop and doctoral course assignment that used activity systems analysis to help students understand design as a practice and share their experiences through narrative case studies. Key findings from student reflections included: 1) Realizing through writing their cases that they see themselves as designers, 2) Being able to consciously articulate and explain their design decisions through writing, 3) Finding that activity systems analysis helped provide a framework to assess tensions in the design process. Students concluded that engaging in analysis surprised them by revealing aspects of their design work they did not previously recognize and by claiming their identity as designers.