365-1099-00L  Design Thinking: A Human-Centred Approach to Problem Solving

SemesterHerbstsemester 2019
DozierendeF. Rittiner
Periodizitätjedes Semester wiederkehrende Veranstaltung
LehrspracheEnglisch
KommentarExclusively for MAS MTEC students (third semester).


KurzbeschreibungIn this course, students get to know Design Thinking, which is an innovation method that can be applied to solve a broad range of problems from product development to social innovation. The students will engage in collaborative team exercise to learn about and directly apply the five typical design thinking steps – empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test – by solving a real-world challenge.
LernzielDuring the course, students will...
...get to know the design thinking process working on a specific real-world challenge
...learn when to apply design thinking methodology
...learn how to empathize with users, how to formulate a clear problem statement, develop ideas, prototype as well as test them with potential users
InhaltDuring the course, students will...
...get to know the design thinking process as:
- - a methodology to develop ideas and concepts – typically in the early phase of the innovation process (the fuzzy-front end)
- - a methodology used for product, service and business model innovation
- - a methodology used for organizational development: process improvements, redesign of organizational structures, etc.
...learn how to apply the design thinking methodology or parts of it
...learn how to empathize with users: simple interview techniques, observation, etc.
...learn how to formulate a clear problem statement
...learn how to develop ideas: potentially alternative brainstorming techniques
...learn how to prototype ideas with simple means
...learn how to test them with potential users: simple test structures

What the students should learn from the course:
- Students will be able to assess whether Design Thinking is useful methodology to solve challenges they face in their daily business activities
- Students will be able to use elements (i.e. a novel brainstorming technique, a novel feedback method, etc.) in their daily business activities

What the students will NOT learn:
- This 2-day training is by not extensive enough to provide a full-scale design thinking training that enables students to design, organize and run their own design thinking workshops and projects. For this, further courses, trainings and self-guided learning is necessary. References to institutes, books and other material will be provided.
SkriptThere is no script available. However references to books, toolboxes, etc... on design thinking with detailed descriptions of the process and the contents are provided.
LiteraturReferences to books, toolboxes, etc... on design thinking with detailed descriptions of the process and the contents are provided. A selection of them is uploaded to moodle.