Design Thinking

In the Design Thinking Certificate course, you’ll gain an understanding of the design thinking framework and methodology to help you innovate solutions that are meaningful to your customers. This course provides opportunities to practice design thinking through interactive learning activities that highlight the five phases of the design thinking process: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test.

The certificate program culminates with an opportunity to apply design thinking to address an innovation challenge currently facing your professional team or organization.

Key Knowledge Areas of Design Thinking

Through our Design Thinking Certificate, you will:

• Consider the strategic reasons for incorporating human-centered design within your organization’s existing practices.
• Embrace design thinking mindsets to optimize effective collaboration and problem-solving.
• Understand that human-centered design creates transformational opportunities by focusing on the customer first.
• Learn and practice the phases of the design thinking process: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test.
• Experience design thinking methodologies firsthand using virtual design and collaboration tools.
• Gain confidence in your ability to start using design thinking terms, tools, and techniques in your professional work.

Audience

• Professionals in any organization or field, including marketing managers, product managers, engineers, software developers, and executives

Course Requirements

Each of the six sessions is two and a half hours. The instructional format includes a combination of active learning and practice opportunities, direct instruction, video clips, remote small group work, discussion, and opportunities for questions and answers.

• Session 1: Introduction to the design thinking process and building empathy for the user
• Session 2: Observation and interviewing techniques, empathy and journey maps, personas
• Session 3: Crafting insights and ideation
• Session 4: Convergence techniques and storyboarding
• Session 5: Prototyping, experimentation and testing, feasibility, and viability
• Session 6: Incorporating design thinking within your professional context 

First-time online learner? “Strategies for Success” is a one-week module that will familiarize you with our learning system before you begin your certificate program and ensure you are ready to participate. Required for all first-time, self-paced Bryant learners.