Design Thinking

A solutions-based approach to real-world problems

The Design Thinking course will help students learn how to think versus telling them what to think. Students will learn to break down complicated or complex problems or processes in all kinds of organizations, like business, healthcare, government, education, nonprofits, or social enterprises, in order to build and test a viable, desirable, and feasible innovative idea.

Whether you create new systems in your organization, develop ideas to increase revenue, or improve current processes, the design thinking course can help your project goals be achieved.

In the course, you will learn how Design Thinking solves problems, creates new opportunities, improves professional development skills, takes ideas to action, and changes mindsets to be more agile in accepting failure as a positive force.

Course description

Design Thinking teaches a methodology that leverages a systematic, holistic, and innovative approach to solve problems both big and small across any disciplines. Exercising many practical skills, tools, and mindsets within design thinking fosters creative confidence that students can apply to social, business, experiential, and other challenges.

Learning objectives:

• Gain techniques to better understand your project’s stakeholders’ social, emotional, and physical needs
• Apply methods that will help you turn real needs into human-centered solutions
• Use the most productive ideation techniques to generate, develop, and test new ideas quickly
• De-risk your new ideas by gaining feedback through rapid prototypes
• Practice your new skills through tangible, real-world project deliverables

Competencies to be gained:

• Able to produce documents, reports, and prototypes that effectively communicate with various internal and external audiences
• Can collaborate, design research and usability studies, and translate insights into compelling human-centered solutions
• Able to implement design thinking methods, and use stakeholder research to reframe problems and move beyond expected solutions

Design Thinking career goal pathways

After taking the course, the learner can immediately enter the workforce, or continue on academic career to increasing earning potential.

Pathway 1: Enter the workforce with your new skills. Complete the Design Thinking course and enter the workforce with your new skills.

Pathway 2: Continue your academic career to earn an MSU Denver bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design.

Take the course to upskill your resume to advance your career or discover a new passion.

About the course

Fall 2022 schedule

Design Thinking course

• Registration is now open
• Class starts – September 6
• Last day to register – October 1
• Class ends – November 11

Credit-By-Exam to convert the class to credit

• Registration opens – October 6
• Registration closes – November 18
• Credit-By-Exam must be completed – December 1

Cost

Design Thinking course

• The course is $395, with a $35 transaction fee per payment. There are no books to purchase.

Credit-By-Exam

• If you choose to convert the noncredit class to credit, you will take a Credit-By-Exam. The cost is $122, and there is no transaction fee.

What do I receive after I pass the course?

After successfully completing the Design Thinking course, you will receive a certificate of completion. You will also receive a digital badge that will be embedded with the competencies learned. You can include this badge on your resume, LinkedIn page, portfolio, or share it with an employer.

You will also receive a personal advisement session with industry leader and instructor Amy Kern.