DESIGN THINKING

Noida Institute of Engineering and Technology (NIET)

  • Established in 2001

  • Located in Greater Noida

  • Autonomous Institute

  • Emphasis on building future-ready skills

Faculty Profile

  • Anurag Verma

  • Course: Design Thinking-1 CASCC0201

  • Unit Focus: Introduction of Design Thinking (CO1)

Course Syllabus Overview

  • Introduction of Design Thinking

    • Design is a process that encourages creative or innovative solutions.

    • Advocates a hands-on, learning-by-doing approach.

    • Businesses integrating design thinking are seeing significant financial success.

    • Shifts focus from business-centric solutions to customer-centric solutions.

Applications of Design Thinking

  • Applicable in numerous professions including:

    • Sports

    • Education

    • Research

    • Business

    • Management

    • Design

Course Objective

  • Familiarize students with the design thinking process as a tool for breakthrough innovation.

  • Equip students with design thinking skills to create innovative ideas and solutions for real problems.

Course Outcomes

Upon completion, students will be able to:

  • CO1: Understand and apply the design process across business settings.

  • CO2: Analyze personal experiences and teamwork dynamics.

  • CO3: Formulate problem statements and generate innovative ideas.

  • CO4: Apply critical thinking to identify root causes.

  • CO5: Use design thinking skills for the evaluation of claims and arguments.

CO-PO Mapping

CO

PO-1

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CO1

1

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2

1

1

1

2

1

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2

CO2

1

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1

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1

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1

CO3

1

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CO4

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-

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1

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CO5

1

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-

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Prerequisites

  • None

Introduction to Design Thinking

  • Definition: Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that integrates the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.

  • Main components of design thinking:

    • Human Centered

    • Future Focused

    • Creates Value

Core Steps in Design Thinking Process

  1. Empathize: Understand user experiences by observing and engaging with them.

  2. Define: Frame the right problem to come up with effective solutions.

  3. Ideate: Explore a broad range of ideas and possibilities.

  4. Prototype: Create scaled-down versions of the products or solutions.

  5. Test: Gather user feedback to refine the solutions.

Innovation Sweet Spot

  • Desirability: The solution must be desirable to users.

  • Feasibility: The solution must be feasible within the organization’s capabilities.

  • Viability: The solution must be profitable and sustainable.

Design Thinking Challenges and Strategies

  • Traditional Problem Solving vs Design Thinking:

    • Questions vs Answers: Design Thinking asks “What is the right question?” as opposed to “What is the right answer?”

    • Listening vs Talking: Design Thinking emphasizes listening to understand rather than speaking to inform.

Example Cases and Best Practices

  • Gillette Guard Case Study

    • Focused on user comfort and irritation, improving shaving experiences through user feedback.

  • Mumbai Dabbawallas Case Study

    • Over 200,000 meals delivered daily using a low-tech, high-efficiency model based on deep community ties and a color-coded system.

Historical Overview of Design Thinking

  • 1960s: Start of the design science revolution.

  • 1970s: Emergence of “wicked problems” concept by Horst Rittel.

  • 1990s: Design thinking becomes mainstream due to IDEO’s influence, integrated into educational institutions and corporations.

Wicked Problems Defined

  • Wicked problems are social issues that are complex and difficult to solve due to their interconnected nature, exemplified by matters such as poverty, climate change, and public health crises.

Final Thoughts and Best Practices for Design Thinking

  • Emphasize empathy, collaborative observation and engagement, iterative processes, and user feedback to innovate successfully.

  • Remain open to learning and applying design thinking methodologies to various fields and challenges.

Weekly Assignments

  • Various questions covering concepts learned such