COURSE DESCRIPTION
Human-centered Design (HCD) drives transformation and innovation in any field that aspires to design for people. HCD solves complex problems and innovates new kinds of value by centering on the needs and wants of the people directly impacted by an opportunity or challenge. HCD moves through the three phases of inspiration, ideation, and implementation. Human-centered design is used across a wide spectrum of sectors and disciplines including business innovation, business strategy, user experience, human development, education, product design, service design, architecture and planning, health care, and international development.
COURSE FEATURES
DESIGN SPRINT
In the final three sessions of the course, students work in groups to execute a human-centered design project that addresses a real challenge. The design studio will apply the mindsets, process, and methods of human-centered design in a real world setting. Groups will pitch their design solutions to the class for feedback and evaluation.
CASE STUDIES
Case studies are presented throughout the course to demonstrate how human-centered design is used in practice.
Expert Guest lectures
Guest lectures by leading experts provide in-depth information and insights.
Launch Lab
The optional Launch Lab follows the course and helps students get their human-centered innovations into the real world by developing and communicating the human story of their designs and connecting them with the people and organizations who work in their solution areas. More information below.
MATERIALS
COURSE SYLLABUS
Session 1
Why do Human-centered Design (HCD)?
HCD is used to design human-centered products, services, experiences, spaces, places, and systems.
Session 2
HCD mindsets
Human-centered design leverages the mindsets of creative confidence, learning from failure, empathy, embracing ambiguity, optimism, and rapid iteration.
Session 3
HCD lenses
Human-centered design creates new value and solutions that are desirable to people, feasible to build and implement, and economically viable.
Session 4
HCD process
The HCD process moves through the three phases of inspiration, ideation, and implementation.
Session 5
HCD for social innovation
Human-centered design to solve complex social and cultural problems.
Session 6
HCD for education and human development
Human-centered design to foster human flourishing, with a focus on education.
Session 7
HCD for strategic innovation
Human-centered design to develop innovative business strategies that drive new kinds of value.
Session 8
HCD for product, service, and experience design
Human-centered design to create products, services, and experiences that are centered on peoples’ authentic needs and wants.
Session 9
HCD for spaces, buildings, and places
Human-centered design as the process to design spaces, buildings, and places.
Session 10
SPECIAL TOPIC: DESIGNING FOR THE EXPERIENCE ECONOMY
The experience economy offers distinct value propositions that build on product and service economies. Effective design for the experience economy requires a new set of mindsets, methods, and tools and human-centered design is uniquely positioned to create immersive, escapist, entertaining, and educational experiences that have the power to change how people experience themselves and the world around them.
Session 11: Human-centered design sprint
HEAR
Students form small groups, identify and frame a real-world design challenge, and select and action a set of research methods to understand the problem through a human-centered lens. Using a beginner’s mindset and observing vs interpreting are critical for human-centered research.
Session 12: Human-centered design sprint
CREATE
Students translate what they learned in the Hear phase by using participatory co-design methods with their target archetypes to discover areas of opportunity, build empathy, and generate ideas for new approaches and solutions to the problem. Students then rapidly create lo-fi prototypes to test the solution and gather feedback and iterate the prototype.
Session 13: Human-centered design sprint
DELIVER
Students plan mini-pilots to test their prototype for desirability, feasibility, and viability in a real-world setting. Students use the Business Model Canvas to develop a business model to help ensure financial viability.
Session 14
SPECIAL TOPIC: WHAT’S YOUR STORY? STORYTELLING FOR CHANGE
Leveraging the power of storytelling moves people from potential energy to kinetic energy. Story has the power to transform people, places, institutions, and society.
Session 15: Human-centered design sprint
DESIGN SPRINT PITCHES
Design groups pitch their designs generated in the design sprint and designs are evaluated and critiqued.
Join the optional post-course Launch Lab to help get your human-centered solution into the real world.
The optional Launch Lab follows the course and provides resources to help you tell the story of your human-centered innovation and connect with people and organizations who work in your solution area. Get resources and personalized input to:
Tell a compelling human story of your solution or innovation
Create world-class content and develop a multi-channel communications strategy to communicate your vision
Find and connect to the people and organizations who work in your solution area