Certification Course in Design Thinking and Innovation

Explore qualitative and quantitative user research methods to inform design decisions. Learn methods like eye tracking, usability testing, contextual inquiries, field studies, interviews, surveys, card sorting, and analytics.

Master the empathy stage of design thinking by uncovering customer emotions, behaviors, and needs through real-world examples like the CT Pirate Island Adventure Machine and easier toothbrush usability.

Design thinking uses user personas as fictional, demographic-rich tools to capture needs, goals, challenges, and motivations. Distinguish users from customers and create multiple personas to guide product decisions.

Visualize the customer journey as a road map, detailing awareness, consideration, purchase, and post-purchase stages, with actions, touchpoints, thoughts, feelings, pain points, and opportunities for improvement.

Learn how empathy maps in design thinking capture what users say, do, think, and feel to reveal a 360-degree view and uncover hidden needs.

Define the problem stage in design thinking by using empathy insights to craft a clear, user-centered problem statement, separating root causes from symptoms and guiding the solution space.

Apply the five whys technique to uncover root causes by repeatedly asking why, define the problem, and trace immediate triggers to reach lasting solutions.

Explore how the fishbone diagram (Ishikawa) guides root cause analysis by mapping multiple causes to a problem, using five whys on each branch across material, method, machine, and more.

Frame problem statements by adding detailed, measurable context to avoid confusion, illustrated with examples of defects, delays, and costs that clarify impact for the team.

Explore the ideate phase of design thinking by generating numerous ideas through idea collection, then prioritize and refine them with prioritization frameworks, avoiding premature decision making.

Gather ideas through brainstorming, emphasizing diverse collaboration and visualizing with boards or sticky notes. Stay time-bound, avoid discussion, and use brainwriting as a variation while evaluating feasibility in phase two.

Apply the scamper technique to boost brainstorming by exploring substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate, reverse, and rearrange across a coffee mug and other ideas.

Use the effort vs impact matrix to evaluate ideas by impact and effort (time, cost, resources, complexity), plotting quick wins, major projects, and low value ideas for prioritization.

Use the MoSCoW method to prioritize ideas into must have, should have, could have, and won't have, guided by goals, resources, and metrics.

Explore the Kano model for classifying features as basic, linear satisfiers, exciters, and reverse features to boost customer satisfaction and compare with competitors in an iterative design thinking process.

Learn how a prototype serves as a rough, testable version to validate ideas and gather internal feedback. Then launch an MVP that delivers core features with reliability, usability, and delight.

Explore common prototype-stage terminology, from hand-drawn sketches and cardboard prototypes to Lego models, role plays, wireframes, and mockups with tools like Figma or Lucidchart, plus storyboards of user journeys.

During the design thinking test phase, you collect real user feedback to verify prototype effectiveness and drive iterative improvements through observation, interviews, surveys, and A/B testing.

Learn how luxury brands boost value through premium pricing, rarity, and heritage, while elevating service, packaging, digital presence, and technology to balance timelessness with trend.