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DS 240

HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN AND BUSINESS

2 credits.

Design thinking is an iterative problem-solving process geared toward producing innovative solutions for complex and persistent problems in various fields and organizations. Its process, culture, and value system from both design and business point of views will be covered: Empathetic understanding of the end users, problem definition rooted in systems thinking, ideation with a strong emphasis on creativity, visualization and prototyping, testing rooted in a set of research methods, and finally, the importance of iteration in bringing about innovative solutions. The path from project to market will also be explored, with an understanding of how one might balance desirability, feasibility and viability.

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: None Course Designation: Core GenEd - Social & Behavioral Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Demonstrate the ability to understand and gain empathy into human (customer/consumer/user) experience of product, services and systems through systematic inquiries. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Exhibit the ability to be creative, collaborative, and divergent thinkers who can generate and visually communicate multiple ideas. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Demonstrate ability to iterate proposed solutions toward innovation. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Explore questions around cultural and intellectual exchange between business and design such as “What can business learn from design, and vice versa?”, or “How might the incorporation of design thinking help human-centered business to grow and flourish? Audience: Undergraduate 5. Illuminate and expand on existing touch points between design thinking and “business thinking”, including, but not limited to, marketing/new product design and development, entrepreneurship and venture creation, operations and new process design Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Demonstrate the ability to understand and gain empathy into human (customer/consumer/user) experience of product, services and systems through systematic inquiries. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Exhibit the ability to be creative, collaborative, and divergent thinkers who can generate and visually communicate multiple ideas. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Demonstrate ability to iterate proposed solutions toward innovation. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Explore questions around cultural and intellectual exchange between business and design such as “What can business learn from design, and vice versa?”, or “How might the incorporation of design thinking help human-centered business to grow and flourish? Audience: Undergraduate 5. Illuminate and expand on existing touch points between design thinking and “business thinking”, including, but not limited to, marketing/new product design and development, entrepreneurship and venture creation, operations and new process design Audience: Undergraduate

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