Design Thinking: A Toolkit for Breakthrough Innovation
Who Is This Program For?
This program teaches a method of problem solving that will give any professional an advantage in their industry or career. It will be particularly beneficial for:
Product or service managers seeking an innovative, consumer-oriented strategy that minimizes the risk of bringing a new product to market by developing deep insights, rapid prototyping, and designing thoughtful experiments
Designers who want to address people's needs (both, stated and unstated) through creative thought processes and advance their careers with a hands-on certificate program
Consultants who want to offer clients far more differentiated and disruptive solutions using a step-by-step method of problem solving and integrated design thinking approaches
C-suite professionals, heads of business, and entrepreneurs who recognize that gaining an edge and increasing market share require re-imagining their businesses from the bottom up and wish to make design thinking an inherent philosophy in their organizations
Individuals or teams that are developing transformational business models and searching for new ways to bring offerings to the market with lower risk and strong customer focus
Key Takeaways
This program will equip you to unpack your assumptions about problem solving and will teach you to approach new opportunities with the human experience in mind. In this program, you will:
Learn to apply design thinking fundamentals to ensure that a solution is desirable from a human point of view and aligns with what is technologically feasible and economically viable
Develop an in-depth understanding of the full design process from inspiration to implementation and learn to transform an idea into an innovative product or service
Gain hands-on experience with key methods and tools including the Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD) framework for customer discovery, synthesis, ideation, prototyping, and storytelling to create and communicate offerings that address customer needs
Learn how design thinking is used to conceive innovative business models and forecast trends and developments
Discover how design thinking can nurture your individual creativity, help you overcome resistance to new ideas, and provide advantages such as reduced time-to-market, lower costs, and increased market share
Implement design thinking as a rigorous, human-centered approach to creative problem solving that can be leveraged across a spectrum of functions, industries, and organizations
Studio Sessions with David Schonthal
Participate in interactive studio sessions that will give you the opportunity to practice the design process and practice innovative techniques you can immediately put to use in your personal and professional life.
Program Experience
A personalized field guide to reference in future design efforts
Live, interactive studio sessions with award-winning faculty and practitioners
Guest lectures from leaders in the world of design and innovation
Hands-on activities and projects providing real-world application of techniques
Collaborative opportunities with peers
Industry examples from renowned brands
A dedicated program support team
Innovative frameworks with immediate applications
Knowledge checks
Breakthrough discussions
Program Modules
Over the course of eight weeks, participants will be guided through the foundational principles of design thinking and will see how professionals in any role can leverage design thinking to achieve innovative outcomes across a wide spectrum of industries.
Industry Examples
Each week's lesson will feature one or more industry examples, giving you the opportunity to examine how design thinking has been successfully integrated into organizations across a wide variety of markets. See unique applications from brands such as:
Air New Zealand
See how executives embraced the power of prototyping to create a more comfortable in-flight experience.
Airbnb
Learn how Airbnb tested their offer quickly and cheaply by creating simple prototypes with just enough fidelity to communicate the company’s ideas.
FlyHomes
Understand how this innovative start-up removed the forces of friction to simplify the process of buying and selling a home.
Cisco
Learn how Cisco successfully reimagined its virtual telepresence facilities.
Eli Lilly and Company
Discover how insects provided unexpected inspiration for administering medications.
General Electric
Explore how the company designed a pirate ship adventure to calm and engage children undergoing MRI procedures.
Note: All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Their use does not imply any affiliation or endorsement.
Testimonials
Program Faculty
Clinical Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Kellogg School of Management; Designer, IDEO
David Schonthal is a Clinical Professor of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, where he teaches courses in new venture cre...
Certificate
Upon successful completion of the program, Kellogg Executive Education grants a verified digital certificate of completion to participants. This program is graded as pass or fail; participants must receive 80% to pass and obtain the certificate of completion.
After successful completion of the program, your verified digital certificate will be emailed to you in the name you used when registering for the program. All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of Kellogg Executive Education
Note: This online certificate program does not grant academic credit or a degree from Kellogg School of Management.
FAQs
Financing Options
Climb Credit*
We offer financing options with our partner, Climb Credit*. Click here to learn more.
*Applicable for US Residents
Flexible Payment Options For All
Flexible payment options allow you to pay the program fee in installments. Click here to see payment schedule.
Early registrations are encouraged. Seats fill up quickly!
Flexible payment options available.
Starts On