Design Thinking: A Toolkit for Breakthrough Innovation

Over the course of eight weeks, participants in this program were guided through the foundational principles of design thinking to see how professionals in any role can leverage design thinking to achieve innovative outcomes across a wide spectrum of industries. Module 1: Introduction to Design Thinking Survey the fundamentals of design thinking and learn how they apply to solving business problems, learn why design thinking offers a lasting competitive advantage. Module 2: The Power of Why User and stakeholder input is vital to the design process. Learn how to leverage the JTBD method of interviewing to dig deeper into the functional, social, and emotional needs of people. Module 3: Translating Observations to Insights Discover how to transform observations and insights into business opportunities through the process of synthesis, understand how reframing a question can lead to deeper insights and innovative solutions. Module 4: Reframing Opportunities and Generating Ideas Generate ideas using insights captured during synthesis. Participants have the opportunity to practice techniques such as group brainstorming, ideation, and insight analysis during the design process. Module 5: Making Ideas Real Prototyping can serve as a powerful tool during the design process. Evaluate the different methods and techniques for prototyping ideas and test the underlying assumptions of those ideas. Participants also learn about the three primary uses of prototyping: learning, validation, and communication. Module 6: Overcoming Resistance to New Ideas and Change New ideas frequently encounter resistance, which often comes from the very people an offering is meant to help. This module illustrates the principles of friction theory to help participants recognize and address sources of resistance along the customer journey. Module 7: Nontraditional Domains for Design Thinking After identifying various domains wherein design thinking is making a significant impact, participants explore trends and developments in the field and discuss innovative applications in areas such as biotechnology, venture capital, and more. Module 8: Designing Communication that Moves People Methods of communication can be as varied as the idea itself. Use creative techniques such as visualization and storytelling to bring ideas to life and overcome resistance to new ideas.