Design Thinking

 Design thinking refers to creative strategies designers use during the process of designing. Focused on listening, user empathy, whole-brain thinking, collaboration, and experimentation, design thinking can be applied within any team and in any field, from architecture and design to healthcare and product development. This course applies design thinking methodology to everyday problems and provides students with the tools they need to become innovative thinkers. Envisioned as a collaborative lab, this course fosters the integration of research, problem-forming and problem-solving, aesthetics, technology, prototyping, and publishing, with a strong focus on user's needs. Several tools to help students understand design thinking as a problem-solving approach are introduced throughout the course. Case-studies from different organizations that used design thinking to uncover compelling solutions are used to support instruction. This course delves into the fundamentals of th0is creative approach by immersing students in dynamic discussions, relevant readings, and team exercises. Throughout the course, students learn how to empathize with the needs and motivations of the end users, discover new ideas for solving a problem and how to apply strategies and methodologies drawn from a wider range of creative design practices.