Design Thinking

This course provides an introduction to the foundational activities related to design thinking: a flexible, yet systematic process to define and solve problems. A common misconception is that design thinking requires artistry, but it is not centered on artistic principles. Design thinking is a strategy and mindset that can be applied to any industry to solve problems.

As part of the Design Thinking MicroMasters program, this course will explore methods used to evaluate problems, develop ideas, and create innovative solutions with the user in mind. Focusing on the importance of user understanding and the development of desirable, feasible, and viable ideas, this course will provide an overview of the design thinking process from end to end.

When you immerse yourself in the context of the user, you can uncover pain points and find opportunities for improvement or innovation not always evident to your audience.

In this course, part of the Design Thinking MicroMasters program, you will learn how to use simple research methodologies including active listening to understand your target audience and uncover their obvious or latent needs.

Emphasis will be placed on observation and interviewing as key methods to gain empathy for the user's experience and viewpoint. Equipped with this understanding, you will be prepared to identify and define more accurately the business problem.

You will also review case studies and discuss strategies to foster productive client-stakeholder relationships, including user personification, context understanding, and empathy idea mapping (ideas that resonate with your target audience).

Designing a successful and innovative solution requires creative ideas and their iteration. As critical phases of the design thinking process, ideation and iteration are often what distinguish design thinking from traditional or linear problem-solving approaches. This course, part of the Design Thinking MicroMasters program, will explain and provide context and instruction on essential ideation techniques such as:

• Brainstorming
• Mind mapping
• Role playing
• Storyboarding
• Concept sketching
• Model making
• Strategic idea mapping

After ideation, the solution(s) that best address the original problem are chosen to present. This course will discuss best practices for selecting solutions and common pitfalls to avoid when communicating solutions to a client.

Creating prototypes puts a proposed solution into action. In this course, you will learn the value of prototypes and user testing as critical components of the design thinking process. You will examine case studies to understand the iterative process of prototyping and discover how new products and ideas can emerge as a result.

As part of the Design Thinking MicroMasters program, you will study how to analyze and implement the results of user testing to ensure your solution can fully benefit from this inclusive and innovative process. Best practices for evaluating solutions will also be covered, including surveys, user evaluations, focus groups and interviews.