When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate
There are 4 modules in this course
This exciting online course helps you understand design methods and how to use them to identify business opportunities. It starts by focusing on the importance of design in a changing world by examining VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) and the 4Cs (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity). It then delves into the ways opportunities for design are growing in emerging markets and the need for designers to practice their craft as artisans. This includes exploration of the Empathy and Excellence framework. After covering these foundational concepts, the course examines the Double Diamond methodology in detail. It concludes by exploring ways to validate an opportunity by assessing risk versus value and testing your thinking with a canvas.
To succeed in this specialization, you should be a professional with at least two to three years of experience in an organizational setting. Experience in a design role or working with designers is helpful.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Understand the importance of design and the responsibilities of designers
- Examine the expanding role of design and the tools helping it grow
- Analyze how design frameworks can help you find opportunities and frame problem statements
- Assess opportunities, experiences, and the use of a canvas
In this week, you'll learn about the expanding role of design, and see how rigorous design can accommodate scalability. You will discuss the importance design plays in today's world, and think about why it's important to not only design, but continually redesign. You'll be introduced to the concept of VUCA: volatile, unpredictable, chaotic, and ambiguous. You will also have the chance to dive into the changing landscape of education, and see why the Four C's are critical for designers of the future. Finally, you will see what role the designer plays in preserving design ethics. This will help you to unpack the art versus the science of design.
The Constant Need for Design and Redesign•4 minutes
Guest Speaker Interview: Nicole Cacal•5 minutes
The Responsibility of Designers: A Closer Look at Design Ethics•2 minutes
The Art Versus the Science of Design•3 minutes
10 readings•Total 260 minutes
Welcome to the Course•30 minutes
Meet Your Faculty•10 minutes
Course Methodology and Assessment•30 minutes
Key Terms and Concepts•10 minutes
Design as an Essential Toolkit for Innovation•30 minutes
Design and Innovation•30 minutes
Design and Making Sense of VUCA•30 minutes
Ethics of Design•30 minutes
Going Beyond the Basics: Education and the Four C's•30 minutes
The Four C's•30 minutes
4 assignments•Total 120 minutes
Summative Quiz: Creative Problem Solving: Using Design as a Toolkit•30 minutes
Formative Quiz: The Importance of Design in a Changing World•30 minutes
Formative Quiz: Embracing Ambiguity•30 minutes
Formative Quiz: Building Stuff People Don't Want is Easy•30 minutes
3 discussion prompts•Total 30 minutes
Introductions•10 minutes
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Innovation•10 minutes
The Art and Science of Design•10 minutes
Calling Skilled Practitioners: The Need as Opportunity Space Grows
Module 2•5 hours to complete
Module details
In this week, you'll see that the opportunity space is expanding and find out what this means for design in emerging markets. You'll learn about six factors that are making it possible for design to solve local problems globally. We'll do this by exploring a series of case studies out of East Africa. You'll explore the different types of design tools and methodologies. In this week, one of the methodologies you'll be introduced to is the Empathy and Excellence approach.
The Challenge in Design: Too Many Tools But Not Enough Artisans•3 minutes
The Building Blocks of Empathy and Excellence•3 minutes
5 readings•Total 150 minutes
The Opportunity Space for Design is Expanding•30 minutes
Emerging Opportunities in Design•30 minutes
Design Methodologies Available in the Market•30 minutes
Design Methods and Tools•30 minutes
The Empathy and Excellence Approach•30 minutes
4 assignments•Total 120 minutes
Summative Quiz: Calling Skilled Practitioners: The Need as Opportunity Space Grows•30 minutes
Formative Quiz: Design's Opportunity is Expanding•30 minutes
Formative Quiz: Design's Problem: Tools But Not Enough Artisans•30 minutes
Formative Quiz: Design Framework to Help Navigate the Future•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
Crafting Artisans•10 minutes
Unpacking the Double Diamond Method
Module 3•3 hours to complete
Module details
In this week, you'll learn about another design methodology: the Double Diamond Method. The Double Diamond Method is made up of four phases: the discover phase, the define phase, the develop phase, and the deliver phase. We'll deep dive into each of these phases to see what steps take place in each and how the four phases and the fifteen steps work together. You'll then be able to apply the Double Diamond method to enhance the design process.
Thinking about Design through the Double Diamond•10 minutes
Validating an Opportunity
Module 4•6 hours to complete
Module details
In this week, you'll look at how perceived risk and value are used to prioritize projects within the portfolio selection process for different types of organizations. You'll consider how to mitigate risk. You'll learn to calculate your addressable market size from the full market size. We'll introduce you to various types of canvases and explain their uses in different scenarios. You'll see why in some contexts, the lean canvas works best. Finally, you'll learn how to identify an opportunity and create a distinctive experience, and find out why creating a distinctive experience is so important.
For more than a century, Parsons School of Design has been inspired by the transformative potential of design. Today, the school’s groundbreaking academic programs carry forward that mission, making Parsons the number one design school in the U.S. and among the top three globally. At the heart of a comprehensive university — The New School — Parsons draws on a range of academic fields to deliver a uniquely interdisciplinary education enriched by the resources of its home in New York City and branch campus in Paris. Here, the next generation of creative leaders engage in real-world learning and develop as critical thinkers and makers grappling with the pressing issues of our time.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.