Design Thinking for Business

Module 1: Introduction to Design Thinking and Empathy

Skills Focused: Understanding design thinking principles and developing empathy.
- Content:
  - Overview of design thinking.
  - Importance of human-centered design.
  - Key stages: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test.
  - Techniques for understanding user needs.
- Class Activities:
  - Group discussion on design thinking principles.
  - Video presentation on design thinking in action.
  - Role-playing user interviews.
  - Creating empathy maps in small groups.
- Homework:
  - Read an article on human-centered design.
  - Reflect on how design thinking can be applied at work.
  - Conduct a user interview with a colleague or friend.
  - Create an empathy map based on your interview.

Skills Focused: Writing clear problem statements and generating ideas.
- Content:
  - Analyzing research and data.
  - Defining your problem as a statement.
  - Idea generation methods.
  - Creative thinking techniques.
  - Evaluating and selecting ideas.
- Class Activities:
  - Group analysis of user research data.
  - Crafting problem statements in teams.
  - Idea session using different techniques.
  - Group discussion to evaluate ideas.
- Homework:
  - Refine your problem statement based on feedback.
  - Define a clear problem statement for a current project or initiative.
  - Create a mind map of potential solutions.
  - Use techniques to generate solutions for a work challenge.

Skills Focused: Creating and improving prototypes.
- Content:
  - Importance of prototyping.
  - Building simple prototypes.
  - Improvments and feedback loops.
- Class Activities:
  - Hands-on prototyping workshop.
  - Group feedback sessions on prototypes.
  - Improving prototypes based on feedback.
- Homework:
  - Develop a simple prototype of your solution.
  - Gather feedback from a colleague or friend.
  - Create a simple prototype of a new idea or process at work.

Skills Focused: Testing prototypes and getting feedback.
- Content:
  - Running a user test.
  - Collecting and analyzing feedback.
  - Improving based on test results.
- Class Activities:
  - Run user tests in pairs.
  - Group discussion on feedback collected.
  - Improving prototypes based on feedback.
- Homework:
  - Test your prototype with at least two users.
  - Summarize the feedback and plan for improvements.
  - Test a new process or tool at work and gather feedback for improvements.

Skills Focused: Planning and applying design solutions.
- Content:
  - Developing implementation plans.
  - Strategies for scaling solutions.
  - Measuring impact and success.
  - Analysis of successful design thinking projects.
  - Group projects to solve business challenges.
- Class Activities:
  - Creating implementation plans in teams.
  - Group discussions on scaling strategies.
  - Presenting implementation plans for feedback.
  - Case study analysis in small groups.
  - Group project work sessions.
- Homework:
  - Finalize your implementation plan.
  - Identify metrics to measure the success of your solution.
  - Plan the implementation of a new initiative or solution at work.
  - Apply design thinking to a specific project or problem at work and present the results.

Skills Focused: Consolidating knowledge and integrating skills.
- Content:
  - Review of key concepts.
  - Integration exercises.
  - Personal reflection and feedback.
  - Preparing final projects.
  - Presenting solutions to stakeholders.
- Class Activities:
  - Review sessions for all modules.
  - Integration exercises in small groups.
  - Individual reflection and feedback sessions.
  - Final project presentations.
  - Group discussion on project outcomes.
- Homework:
  - Reflect on your design thinking journey.
  - Integrate design thinking into your daily work processes.
  - Present a completed design thinking project to your team or stakeholders at work.
  - Complete course feedback survey.