Design Thinking: Human-Centered Approaches to Making the World

3 units

This course provides an overview of approaches to design thinking: a process of identifying, creating, and implementing solutions. Through an experiential approach, students learn methods for understanding users' needs, synthesizing complex information, identifying directives for design, generating ideas, prototyping, and communicating solutions. Methodologies will reflect multiple areas, including design, engineering, business, and anthropology. The class operates collaboratively tackling a locally relevant problem, such as active transportation or waste management. Students also explore the role of this process in business, organizations promoting social change, and education through readings, case studies, lectures, guest speakers, discussion, and written exercises. No previous experience in design is required.