Design Thinking for the Greater Good Innovation in the Social Sector

Do you work for a nonprofit or in the social sector? Are you struggling to solve the problems and meet the needs of the people you serve? Come learn more about how design thinking, a human-centered approach to problem solving, can help you truly understand an issue, generate ideas worth testing and iterate to find solutions that make a real difference. Through global stories from areas as diverse as government, health care, and education, we’ll show you the tools, techniques and mindset needed to use design thinking to uncover new and creative solutions in the social sector.The development of this course was supported by the Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. For more about the Batten Institute, see: http://www.darden.virginia.edu/batten-institute/ @BattenInstitute @DesignatDarden

• What design thinking is and when to use it

• How to prepare to see and take action when opportunity arises

• How to use design thinking to generate innovative ideas

• How to take the many ideas you generate and determine which ones are likely to produce specific, desired outcomes

Syllabus

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1
DESIGN THINKING FUNDAMENTALS
Week 2
BEFORE YOU BEGIN, AND ASKING “WHAT IS?”
Week 3
A MINDSET FOR INNOVATION, AND ASKING “WHAT IF?”
Week 4
ASKING “WHAT WOWS?” AND “WHAT WORKS?”

FAQ

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

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.

Reviews

Great course. I really enjoyed the instructors and their passion for the topic. I learned so much about such an important field.

This useful for people who are starting career at the beging according to my view. This course deals with such a real time examples to identify &understand the concept clearly.

It was a good experience, because I got access to a methodology of analysis and intervention, which you can use to deal with challenges in the social sector.

The course really helped in understanding the process of designing a solution and more importantly focus on redefining the problem! A course for those who want to learn the innovation process.