Design Thinking: Insights to Inspiration
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Design Thinking: Insights to Inspiration
This course is part of Design Thinking Specialization
Instructor: Jeanne M. Liedtka
23,670 already enrolled
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154 reviews
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What you'll learn
How to navigate the design thinking process to tackle a human-centered problem
How to craft out an effective research plan
How to draw key insights from the design process to arrive at ideal solutions
Details to know
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There are 5 modules in this course
Welcome Designers!
In this course, developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, we will introduce you to the design thinking process. It is a project-based course in which you will identify a human-centered problem that you want to solve. We will focus our attention on the first seven steps of our 14-Step design thinking process. We’ll guide you through crafting and carrying out a research plan that helps you answer the question, “What is?” You will gather and identify important insights about the needs and wants of others and use this information to identify the attributes of an ideal solution.
Welcome to the course! Ready to begin? We are going to get off to a fast start! This week you will be learning some introductory material and starting work on your project by completing Step 1.
What's included
14 videos3 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
14 videos•Total 63 minutes
- Introduction to the Design Thinking Specialization•5 minutes
- Curriculum Map•6 minutes
- Supplemental Course Book Overview•2 minutes
- Giving and Receiving Feedback•5 minutes
- Meet Jeanne Liedtka•4 minutes
- What is Design Thinking?•3 minutes
- The Four Questions of Design Thinking•7 minutes
- The Essences of Design Thinking•2 minutes
- The Good Kitchen: Design Thinking in Action•3 minutes
- The Good Kitchen: What Is?•5 minutes
- The Good Kitchen : What If, What Wows, What Works?•6 minutes
- Wicked vs. Tame Problems•6 minutes
- Step 1: Identifying an Opportunity•5 minutes
- Questions to Ask Yourself When Choosing Your Course Project•5 minutes
3 readings•Total 80 minutes
- Course Overview and Requirements•10 minutes
- Welcome to Week 1•10 minutes
- Project Activity - Step 1, Identifying an Opportunity•60 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 1 Quiz•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- Insights into Design Thinking•10 minutes
In Week 2 you'll advance your thinking about your project and learn more about the challenges of driving innovation through an organization.
What's included
5 videos2 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
5 videos•Total 32 minutes
- Framing the Business Case•8 minutes
- Embracing the Rollercoaster Ride as a Team•9 minutes
- Step 2: Scope Your Project•6 minutes
- Step 3: Draft Your Design Brief•7 minutes
- Health Care Vignette•2 minutes
2 readings•Total 70 minutes
- Welcome to Week 2•10 minutes
- Project Activity - Design Brief•60 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 2 Quiz•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- Project Planning•10 minutes
After completing your Design Brief, you are ready to move into Steps 4 and 5. This week you'll make plans and begin your research.
What's included
8 videos2 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
8 videos•Total 39 minutes
- Step 4: Make Your Project Plan•4 minutes
- Step 4: Make Your People Plan•4 minutes
- Step 4: Make Your Research Plan•4 minutes
- Step 5: Do Your Research•6 minutes
- Ethnographic Research: Example Stories•8 minutes
- Ethnographic Research: Choosing Good Participants•3 minutes
- Ethnographic Research: Conducting Interviews•6 minutes
- The Pain Curve•4 minutes
2 readings•Total 85 minutes
- Welcome to Week 3•10 minutes
- Project Activity - Steps 4 and 5•75 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 3 Quiz•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- What Is?•10 minutes
In Week 4, we will continue to work on the field work for your project. There are no new steps to tackle--just keep focusing on getting your field research completed. With your field work underway, we are going to spend our time this week shifting our focus from the level of process to the level of the personal and ask you to consider your own mindset and repertoire.
What's included
10 videos2 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt
10 videos•Total 47 minutes
- Finding Opportunities to Innovate•4 minutes
- The Physics of Growth•5 minutes
- Why is Innovation So Hard to Do in Organizations?•3 minutes
- Overcoming a Growth Gridlock•3 minutes
- What Does a Prepared Mind Look Like?•4 minutes
- Meet George and Geoff•11 minutes
- Understanding Differences in Mindset•3 minutes
- The Importance of Repertoire and Empathy•7 minutes
- How Do We Help George Succeed ?•2 minutes
- Assessing Your Mindset and Repertoire•6 minutes
2 readings•Total 70 minutes
- Welcome to Week 4•10 minutes
- Project Activity - Continue Field Work•60 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 4 Quiz•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
- The Innovative Mindset•10 minutes
Welcome to Week 5. At this point, you have hopefully completed your planning and are wrapping up your field research. Your completed research will be the input that we'll use to mine for deep insights (Step 6) and then transform those insights into design criteria (Step 7).
What's included
9 videos2 readings1 assignment1 peer review1 discussion prompt
9 videos•Total 46 minutes
- MeYouHealth: The Biggest Challenge•3 minutes
- MeYouHealth: What Is? - Conducting Research•6 minutes
- MeYouHealth: What Is? - Emerging Patterns•4 minutes
- MeYouHealth: What If? - Generating Ideas•6 minutes
- Step 6: Identify Insights•3 minutes
- Step 6: Hosting a Gallery Walk•7 minutes
- Step 7: Establish Design Criteria•4 minutes
- Capturing Your Project's Payback•6 minutes
- The Impact of Expertise•7 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
- Week 5 Overview•10 minutes
- Overview - Insights and Design Criteria•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
- Week 5 Quiz•30 minutes
1 peer review•Total 75 minutes
- Insights and Design Criteria•75 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 20 minutes
- If Anything Were Possible•20 minutes
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Reviewed on Aug 16, 2024
It was a ghost and useful course that I have ever participated
Reviewed on Aug 9, 2023
Great application of Design Thinking with relevant frameworks!
Reviewed on Aug 3, 2025
Provides a creative and a structured approach towards problem solving.
Frequently asked questions
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