Design Thinking for Problem Solving Course

Lesson 1 • Core Principles and Mindsets

Introduces the five mindsets—empathy, collaboration, experimentation, optimism, and iteration—that underpin effective design thinking practice.

Lesson 2 • The Five-Stage Framework Overview

Maps the Empathise–Define–Ideate–Prototype–Test cycle and clarifies how stages interact. Sets expectations for the depth covered in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Setting Up a Design Thinking Practice

Covers team composition, physical and digital workspace setup, and psychological safety norms. Learners leave ready to launch a functioning design team.

Lesson 4 • Design Thinking Versus Other Methodologies

Contrasts design thinking with agile, lean, and systems thinking to clarify its unique contribution. Helps learners choose the right tool for each problem type.

Lesson 1 • Stakeholder Mapping and Ecosystem Analysis

Expands empathy beyond end users to include stakeholders who influence or are affected by the problem. Ensures solutions account for the full human ecosystem.

Lesson 2 • Conducting Empathy Interviews

Covers interview design, question framing, active listening, and probing techniques. Produces qualitative data rich enough to reveal underlying motivations.

Lesson 3 • Observation and Ethnographic Research

Teaches structured observation, shadowing, and contextual inquiry to capture real behaviour. Connects field data collection to later synthesis activities.

Lesson 4 • What Empathy Means in Design

Distinguishes empathy from sympathy and explains its role in uncovering latent user needs. Grounds the research methods introduced later in this chapter.

Lesson 1 • How Might We Question Technique

Converts POV statements into generative How Might We questions that open ideation space. Learners practise calibrating question scope to avoid too-broad or too-narrow prompts.

Lesson 2 • Crafting Point-of-View Statements

Teaches the user–need–insight formula for writing focused point-of-view statements. A strong POV anchors all subsequent ideation to real human needs.

Lesson 3 • Defining Success Metrics Early

Establishes measurable criteria for a successful solution before ideation begins. Early metrics prevent scope creep and guide prototype evaluation in later stages.

Lesson 4 • Problem Reframing Strategies

Introduces ladder-up, ladder-down, and analogical reframing to challenge initial problem assumptions. Reframing prevents premature convergence on a suboptimal problem definition.

Lesson 1 • Convergent Thinking and Idea Selection

Teaches dot voting, impact-feasibility matrices, and structured critique to narrow ideas to the most promising candidates. Convergence must be rigorous to avoid groupthink.

Lesson 2 • Concept Development and Storyboarding

Develops selected ideas into concept sketches and storyboards that communicate the solution narrative. Storyboards serve as the direct input for prototype planning.

Lesson 3 • Core Brainstorming Techniques

Covers classic and structured brainstorming methods including brainwriting, round-robin, and silent brainstorming. Each technique addresses a different team dynamic or constraint.

Lesson 4 • Creative Stimulus Techniques

Introduces SCAMPER, random input, and analogical thinking to break cognitive fixation and spark novel ideas. Stimulus techniques are especially useful when brainstorming stalls.

Lesson 1 • Experience and Service Prototyping

Applies desktop walkthroughs, experience prototypes, and pilot services to test end-to-end user journeys. Especially relevant for non-digital and organisational solutions.

Lesson 2 • Prototyping Philosophy and Mindset

Establishes the fail-fast, learn-fast mindset and explains why early prototypes should be rough. Reduces the emotional attachment that slows iteration.

Lesson 3 • Digital and Medium-Fidelity Prototyping

Introduces wireframing, clickable mockups, and service blueprints for digital and service solutions. Medium fidelity tests interaction flows without full development cost.

Lesson 4 • Paper and Low-Fidelity Prototyping

Covers paper mockups, cardboard models, and role-play scenarios as fast, cheap ways to test core assumptions. Low-fidelity prototypes maximise learning per dollar spent.

Lesson 1 • Capturing and Organising Test Data

Introduces note-taking frameworks, observation sheets, and video tagging to capture rich test data efficiently. Organised data accelerates post-session synthesis.

Lesson 2 • Testing Strategy and Planning

Covers how to define test objectives, recruit participants, and select the right testing format. A clear strategy prevents wasted sessions and inconclusive data.

Lesson 3 • Deciding When to Iterate or Pivot

Provides decision frameworks for determining whether to refine the current solution, reframe the problem, or abandon the concept. Prevents both premature pivots and sunk-cost persistence.

Lesson 4 • Facilitating User Test Sessions

Teaches neutral facilitation, think-aloud protocol, and task scenario design to elicit authentic user behaviour. Facilitation quality directly determines data quality.

Lesson 1 • Documenting and Sharing Workshop Outputs

Teaches methods for capturing, organising, and communicating workshop artefacts to stakeholders. Clear documentation ensures workshop insights drive real decisions.

Lesson 2 • Remote and Hybrid Workshop Facilitation

Adapts design thinking activities for virtual and hybrid environments using digital collaboration platforms. Remote facilitation requires deliberate design to maintain engagement.

Lesson 3 • Workshop Design Principles

Covers agenda architecture, energy management, and time-boxing to create productive workshop flow. Good design prevents the most common facilitation failures.

Lesson 4 • Facilitation Skills and Techniques

Builds core facilitation competencies including active listening, questioning, and group dynamics management. These skills apply across all design thinking stages.

Lesson 1 • Leading Design Thinking Initiatives

Addresses executive sponsorship, change management, and political navigation needed to launch organisation-wide design thinking programmes. Leadership alignment is the single biggest success factor.

Lesson 2 • Building Organisational Design Capability

Covers training programmes, communities of practice, and coaching models for spreading design thinking skills. Capability building is the foundation of lasting organisational change.

Lesson 3 • Continuous Improvement of the Practice

Establishes retrospective routines and feedback loops that evolve the organisation's design thinking practice over time. Continuous improvement prevents the practice from becoming stale or ritualistic.

Lesson 4 • Integrating Design Thinking into Workflows

Shows how to embed design thinking checkpoints into existing project management, product development, and strategy processes. Integration prevents design thinking from remaining a one-off event.