Foundations in Design Thinking Certificate Program

In today’s world, the ability to innovate and to adapt to change is critical for any organization. Clinging to the status quo is a fast track to obsolescence. New products, services, and processes may be the answer, but which ones? And for which audiences?

Design thinking is an innovative, yet repeatable approach to solving problems, exploring opportunities, and creating new products, services, and experiences. By utilizing the tools of design thinking to understand the needs, wants, and limitations of customers or other stakeholders, practitioners can create solutions that are at the intersection of desirability (Does someone want or need it?), feasibility (Can we do it?), and viability (Can we do it a way that’s profitable or sustainable?).

In this multi-day certificate program, participants will gain an understanding of the basic principles and practices of design thinking while also getting hands-on experience with a number of design tools.

What Participants Will Learn

• Recognize how and why design thinking delivers extraordinary results that often exceed expectations
• Utilize a divergent / convergent approach balanced with a broad focus with a bias for action
• Become familiar with how collaborative design (co-creation) can uncover opportunities and accelerate buy-in
• Grasp why empathy building is a critical, but often overlooked, component to problem solving
• Realize how design thinking helps operationalize the innovation mantra, “fail early, fail often”
• Embrace how rapid prototyping fosters clarity and shared understanding of an idea
• Give and receive feedback in a way that elicits meaningful input quickly