Design Thinking: Discovery Tools

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/uva-darden-design-thinking-discovery-tools

Introduction

### Course Review: Design Thinking: Discovery Tools **Overview** Are you a designer looking to elevate your skills in human-centered design? Look no further than the "Design Thinking: Discovery Tools" course on Coursera, developed by the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. This course is meticulously crafted to empower designers with essential tools for generating ideas and effectively connecting with customers at a deeper, human level. With a focus on practical applications, you will delve into stakeholder mapping, journey mapping, personas, value-chain analysis, and ethnographic interviews, among others. ### Course Structure and Content The syllabus is structured to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of key design thinking tools: 1. **Stakeholder Map**: In the opening week, you will explore the importance of stakeholder mapping, particularly for tackling complex problems through a design thinking approach. This foundational tool will help you identify who influences or is affected by your design processes. 2. **Job to be Done and Ethnographic Interviews**: The second week introduces you to two crucial concepts - the "Job to be Done" framework and ethnographic interviews. These tools focus on uncovering the unmet needs of users by investigating their behaviors and motivations behind choices. 3. **Journey Map**: The third week centers around journey mapping, an essential technique that visualizes the step-by-step experience a user has with a product or service. Understanding this journey is pivotal for identifying pain points and opportunities for improvement. 4. **Personas**: In week four, you will learn how to create and utilize personas—detailed profiles representing different user types. This tool helps in understanding user perspectives, ensuring that design decisions cater to specific needs. 5. **Value Chain Analysis**: The course wraps up with a week dedicated to value chain analysis. Here, you will evaluate the various stages of your product or service's creation and delivery, enabling you to identify areas of improvement and innovation. ### Learning Experience The course excels in its engaging format, allowing for interactive learning through video lectures, practical exercises, and peer reviews. The instructors are a team of design experts bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience from various industries, which truly enriches the content. Furthermore, the collaborative assignments encourage you to apply the tools you've learned in real-world scenarios, ensuring that you not only understand the concepts but also gain practical experience. ### Who Should Take This Course? "Design Thinking: Discovery Tools" is ideal for designers, product managers, marketers, and anyone interested in enhancing their design thinking skills. Whether you are a beginner or have some prior experience, the course is structured to accommodate a diverse range of learners. ### Why You Should Enroll This course is highly recommended for several reasons: 1. **Practical Skills**: You will acquire valuable tools that can be immediately applied in your work environment, enhancing your capacity to innovate and solve problems effectively. 2. **Expert Instruction**: Learn from seasoned professionals in the field of design thinking. Their insights and experiences will provide you with a well-rounded understanding of human-centered design. 3. **Career Advancement**: The skills gained from this course can significantly bolster your resume and open new opportunities in user experience design, product management, and beyond. 4. **Networking Opportunities**: Engaging with peers from around the world allows you to build a network within the design community, fostering collaborations and sharing ideas. ### Conclusion In conclusion, if you are eager to enhance your design capabilities and embrace a human-centered approach to design, the "Design Thinking: Discovery Tools" course on Coursera is a worthwhile investment in your professional development. With its robust curriculum and expert guidance, you will be well-equipped to create impactful and user-centered designs that resonate with your customers. Don't miss this opportunity to expand your skill set and transform your approach to design!

Syllabus

Stakeholder Map

This week, we'll examine the stakeholder mapping tool. This tool is especially critical as we tackle more complex problems using a design thinking methodology.

This week, you'll learn about two important and related-tools: Job to Be Done and Ethnographic Interview Guides.

This week, you'll learn about journey mapping, an important discovery tool. We'll show you what it is and why and how to do it.

This week, we'll look at how we can use personas to find important differences that can help us surface specific sets of needs and wants.

This week, we'll walk through the Value Chain Analysis process so that you can evaluate your value chain.