Design Thinking

Course Description

Many technologists view design as a function that takes place after the product or solution has been developed. Design thinking offers an alternative, customer driven approach to the commercialization of technological innovation, which embeds potential customer usage patterns into the development from the outset. Design thinking is thus a radical approach to the design process that enables much higher levels of innovation (and therefore commercial success) into the design process, especially in comparison with the traditional view of design that tends to foster incremental thinking. In this course we will share case studies of successful and unsuccessful product design, and provide participants with a series of tools to help them understand and deploy a design thinking process. In the course we will share frameworks for identifying market and technology trends that can stimulate opportunities for radical designs based on user engagement. With an improved understanding of the design thinking process participants will be better prepared for commercial success, whether they work in a large company deploying new solutions, or are interested in starting their own venture. The course will place particular emphasis on the importance and role of experimentation and learning from failure, as well as provide access to a series of tools that can help an organization decide whether, or not, to continue with a specific development process. In this course, students learn theories and practices for innovation, tools and methods for design inquiry, and characteristics of "design attitude." The course emphasizes hands-on project and studio-style project works.

Code

EMGT 5631

Credits

1.5

Subject

EMGT

Programs That Include This Course

• Graduate Certificate Graduate Certificate in Engineering Management
• Graduate Certificate Graduate Certificate in New Product Development
• Master's Engineering, MEng
• Master's Master of Science in Engineering Management