Design Thinking Program |
Incorporate Human-Centric Innovation
|
Today’s competitive and dynamic landscape requires re-imagining business strategies and approaches to innovation. At the heart of your product development lives the goal of solving an unmet need for your customers. Design Thinking employs methods and mindsets to promote a human-centered approach. By effectively leveraging the design thinking framework and embracing human insights, you can quickly and efficiently create better products and experiences for your customers.
|
Learn to work collaboratively to solve complex problems while combining creative and analytical methodology. Develop deep insights, understand human behavior, articulate design needs, prototype solutions, and test and validate in an iterate-based process.
The UCR University Extension Design Thinking Program is designed by industry experts for professionals seeking a practical framework for this fast-growing discipline. From empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, testing, and validating - get ready to roll up your sleeves and apply your new skills in this hands-on, interactive course.
The UCR University Extension Design Thinking Program is designed by industry experts for professionals seeking a practical framework for this fast-growing discipline. From empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, testing, and validating - get ready to roll up your sleeves and apply your new skills in this hands-on, interactive course.
|
Immerse yourself in innovative frameworks and identify the unmet needs of your customers. Learn new ways to infuse design thinking into your organization's DNA, encourage creativity, manage complexity, visualize, prototype, test, and more!
Each module builds your skills and helps you develop your strategies. Gather the Design Thinking Ultimate Toolkit of more than 60 workbooks, eBooks, team-focused activities, templates, prototyping tools, assessments, planning guides, customizable presentations, and culture posters. All to help YOU on your road to success! Enjoy this fast-paced course that puts your customer at the center of every product and process you create. |
Module 1 - Introduction to Design Thinking
Learn a practical definition of Design Thinking and how it's used to solve business, technology, and social problems across industries.
- Define design thinking as an effective approach to creative problem-solving.
- Understand how human-centered design and methodology influence design thinking.
- Review real-world practices and case studies.
Module 2 - Designing for Empathy
Understand and apply empathy in business environments to discover the value of empathy-based research and elicitation.
- Identify effective approaches and tools for research.
- Design conversations and interviews that honor stakeholders.
- Frame statements that facilitate problem-solving.
Module 3 - Introduction to Visualization
Discover the most common visualization tools in design thinking and the best methods for collaborating to explore and understand ideas.
- Align the right visualizations to the right design thinking tools.
- Learn the visualization tools that best fit specific challenges.
- Explore the use of visualization tools in real-life scenarios.
Module 4 - Your Customers, Their Journey
Understand the importance of customer experience-based visualizations. Explore how they help define customer attributes and their experiences with your products, services and stakeholders.
- Create personas that describe stakeholder characteristics.
- Build journey maps that help define critical moments of truth.
- Identify the right tools for success measurement in customer experience.
Module 5 - Ideation in the Design Thinking Process
Discover the concept of ideation as a process for developing, communicating and synthesizing prescriptive ideas to others to solve the right problem.
- Develop creative processes for developing new ideas.
- Understand mind-mapping and brainstorming approaches.
- Learn best practices for ideation workshops.
Module 6 - Prototyping Approaches & Tools
Uncover potential approaches for prototyping concepts, products and services that solve problems.
- Understand low and high-fidelity prototyping.
- Design approaches for bringing ideas to life.
- Discuss prototyping approaches and tools.
Module 7 - Validation & Testing
Leverage previous module knowledge of ideation and prototype design to help design thinkers properly test and validate ideas and prototypes.
- Identify methods for researching and validating outcomes.
- Evaluate recommendations for stakeholder collaboration and participation.
- Develop considerations for design validation.
Module 8 - Implementation & Application
Create a plan for implementing design thinking principles and tools at your organization and for aligning with the ROI of internal projects and stakeholders.
- Develop processes for deployment and launch.
- Explore collaboration methods with stakeholders and success partners.
- Design plans for applying design thinking at your organization.
Capstone Project: Design Thinking Portfolio
During the program, you work through projects most important to you and your company and develop plans to utilize your new skills. As you document each step, you’ll create your own toolkit and Design Thinking Portfolio to organize your findings and identify the key actions needed to accomplish your goals for ultimate success.
|
Carol BuehrensCarol is the author of ‘Happy RAVING Customers!’ and is a leading CX expert. She has a wealth of skills and expertise to draw from, constructing customer experiences for over 30 years for major companies such as Liberty Mutual, Northrop, McDonnell-Douglas, Bechtel, GE, Mercury Marine, and ICW Group Insurance Companies.
Carol’s passion for improving customer experience has resulted in numerous awards, including the prestigious “CX Innovation Award” from the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA), ICW Group CEO Award, the Liberty Mutual Star Award, and is listed in the World's Top 30 Customer Service Professionals. A Founding Member and Expert Panel Member of the international Customer Experience Professional Association (CXPA), Carol is also an active member of the San Diego Customer Experience Special Interest Group (CX SIG), and Professor at California State University Fullerton and University of California San Diego. |
|
Lisa Perrine, Ed.D.As an experience designer and communication strategist, Lisa professional career spans over 30 years and includes more than 1,000 consulting engagements. Her firm designs and builds places that inspire people to collaborate productively, learn quickly, and make sound decisions. Unique in their commitment to co-creation, they use Design Thinking methods to engage end-users in crafting compelling experiences. Their diverse client list includes the Annenberg Foundation, Microsoft, Pacific Life and Sony Music.
After earning an undergraduate design degree, she began her career building prototypes for a small product design studio. In 1991 she became the CEO of Cibola Systems, and completed her MBA studies at Pepperdine University shortly thereafter. More recently Lisa earned a doctorate degree in Organizational Leadership at Pepperdine where her research focused on multidisciplinary teams. Coaching Design Thinking workshops and courses is a special joy for Lisa. Many of these assist nonprofit and civic organizations with specific design challenges. Her courses have been approved for certification renewal units by several trade organizations, including the American Institute of Architects, International Interior Design Association, and AVIXA. Cibola’s team is committed to supporting the underserved and vulnerable. Lisa has served on the governing boards of the Orange County United Way, the Girl Scouts of Orange County, St. Joseph Hoag Health and Mission Hospital. Her colleagues and she also volunteer our professional services for many Southern California charities. |
|
Michael TruettMichael is known for creating, improving and executing collaborative Design Thinking sessions and Customer Experience frameworks across diverse industries at different stages of growth. He has worked with companies such as Spotify, The New York Times, Dow Jones, Tech start-ups, and Telecom providers globally.
|
Instructor Team Contributors
|
Pramod KunjuPramod Kunju, or "Data Guru," is a distinguished expert in data analytics and AI with an MBA from Pepperdine University and a Master's in Criminal Justice from UC Irvine. Author of "The Only Customer," he challenges CRM norms, advocating for evidence-based strategies. His book "AI in Criminal Justice" explores applications for AI in delivering fair justice. A sought-after speaker, Mr. Kunju shares insights on cutting-edge technology and justice reform.
|
|
Dr. Greg McWhorterDr. Greg McWhorter is an educator & writer. He worked for newspapers, radio, television, & film before entering the field of education. McWhorter was a classroom teacher for 12 years before working as an EdTech specialist for 8 years at a large school district. He recently completed the Chief Technology Officer program & has been instrumental in many tech initiatives at his district. His varied background has now been put to use working with issues of equity, family and community engagement, and producing large events centered around arts, literacy, STEAM, and much more. He also continues to produce books, music, and films.
|
|
Dr. Shawishi HaynesDr. Haynes has been in the healthcare industry for nearly 30 years. At the beginning of her career, she spent several years working for the Federal Government. Following that she had the pleasure of leading in multiple sectors within the healthcare industry including Acute, Mental Health, Ambulatory, Primary Care, and health plan Operations at both the facility and Regional Levels, she is board-certified by the American College of Healthcare Executives with a FACHE credential, has a Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California, a master’s in healthcare administration and multiple healthcare certifications. In addition to her administrative career, she is also an educator. She served as a Lead Faculty Area Chair for more than 10 years, as a Research Methodologist, Dissertation Committee Member, and Professor.
|