In today's society, there are a number of problems that can be solved through the thinking way of design, or design thinking, from simple designs to large and complex social problems.
The goals of this courses are to learn the fundamentals of design thinking as well as to propose solutions to actual problems in the real world.
Students work in groups. They learn the concept and methods of design thinking at first, and then work in groups to propose solutions through actual practices, including design research, synthesis, opportunity finding, ideation, prototyping, user testing, and storytelling.
By the end of this course, students will:
1) understand the mindset and some methods of design thinking.
2) propose solutions for actual problems in the real world.
3) be able to communicate and discuss with international team mates.
4) be able to present their own ideas in effective way in English.
5) be ready to apply design thinking mindset and methods to problems in the real world.
design, prototype, project based learning, problem solving, service design
Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | ✔ Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
Students work in groups throughout the semester. In the beginning of the semester, design topic will be announced for which students groups will work on the proposals of solutions.
Consecutive two weeks cover one theme. Students will learn concepts and methods in the first week. Then students work in groups in the second week applying what they learned in the previous week towards final proposal on the design topic.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Lecture: Introduction to Design Thinking | Understand fundamental concept of design thinking. |
Class 2 | Group activity: Design Challenge Announcement | Design briefing. Group formation. Icebreaking. |
Class 3 | Lecture: Design Research | Understand design research concept and methods. Plan own design research activities. |
Class 4 | Group activity: Design Research | Design research activities. |
Class 5 | Lecture: Synthesis + Opportunity Area | Understand how to synthesize, empathy, and find opportunities. |
Class 6 | Group activity: Synthesis + Opportunity Area | Synthesize own results of design research, empathy, and find opportunities. |
Class 7 | Lecture: Ideation + Concept Development | Understand how to ideate and develop concepts. |
Class 8 | Group activity: Ideation + Concept Development | Ideate on own opportunities found in the previous module, and further develop concepts. |
Class 9 | Lecture: Prototype | Understand the importance of prototypes and how to make them. |
Class 10 | Group activity: Prototype | Make prototypes on own concepts. Plan user testing and further refinements of concepts. |
Class 11 | Lecture: Business Design | Understand business aspects needed for solutions to be viable. Continue prototyping and user tests. |
Class 12 | Group activity: Dark Horse Prototyping | Try "extreme" prototypes in order to seek for new viewpoints and findings. Reflect on own concepts from the new viewpoints. Continue prototyping and user tests. |
Class 13 | Lecture: Storytelling | Understand storytelling methods for effective communication of ideas. Continue prototyping and user tests. |
Class 14 | Group activity: Storytelling | Reflect on storytelling for effective communication of own design solutions. |
Class 15 | Final Presentation | Present design solutions own group propose. |
Class materials are provided in the class.
Tim Brown (2009). Change by Design. Harper Business.
Tom Kelley, David Kelley, (2013). Creative Confidence. William Collins.
Marc Stickdorn, Jakob Shneider (2011). This is Service Design Thinking. Wiley.
Gavin Ambrose, Paul Harris (2011). Design Thinking. AVA Publishing.
Thomas Lockwood (ed.) (2010). Design Thinking: Integration, Innovation, Customer Experience, and Brand Value.
Final report: 30%, Final proposal: 40%, Group activity: 30%
None required.
Hiroyuki Umemuro
umemuro.h.aa[at]m.titech.ac.jp
https://www.facebook.com/DesignThinkingTokyoTech