Human-Centered Design: From Synthesis to Creative Ideas (OpenHPI)

This course introduces you to helpful skills for advancing from user research to idea generation. We take a task-based approach to build your skills: You will interpret research findings, frame user-centered problem statements, and facilitate creative brainstorming sessions. This MOOC builds on the 2017 “Inspirations for Design” course, but you may also run through it as a stand-alone MOOC. You can take part in this course individually.

Learning Objectives

- sort data and extract needs from user research

- frame a problem from a user's perspective

- apply various brainstorming techniques and principles

- select and conceptualize ideas

- evaluate the quality of your peers' work and provide constructive feedback

Course Structure

WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION / Week 1 (19.9. – 26.9.2018)

During the welcome week, you will have the chance to introduce yourself and to discover the learning environment with a warm-up exercise. Time commitment: 1h – 1:30h

DEFINE / Week 2 (27.9. – 3.10.2018)

In this week, we focus on the skill of framing a problem from the user perspective. You will learn about the basic steps of identifying "golden nuggets" and phrasing a "How might we" question.

Time commitment: 2,5h – 3,5h

IDEATE / Week 3 (4.10. – 11.10.2018)

In this week, we focus on the skill of facilitating a brainstorming session: You will learn about brainstorming techniques and idea selection techniques, and how to lead your own idea generation group.

Time commitment: 3,5 - 5h

WRAP UP / Week 4 (and beyond) (12.10. – 24.10.2018) During the wrap-up week, we will provide a summary of what you have learned. We will discuss assignment results and describe the next steps in a design thinking project.

Time commitment: 0:30h – 1h