Igniting Innovation: Leveraging Design Thinking to Transform College Courses

Unlock the power of design thinking in this hands-on, interactive workshop designed to equip you with the essential tools and techniques to foster innovation. Whether you're a faculty member, a designer, or an organizational leader, this workshop will help you understand how to integrate a design thinking mindset into your approach to problem-solving, teaching, and leading change.What You’ll Learn: Fundamentals of Design Thinking: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the design thinking process, from empathizing with users to prototyping and testing solutions. Learn how to apply each phase in real-world scenarios to solve complex challenges creatively. Tools and Techniques Used by Leading Designers: Explore powerful design thinking tools like empathy maps, brainstorming sessions, and paper prototyping. Learn how to apply these tools to generate innovative solutions quickly and efficiently. How to Model and Enhance Innovative Mindsets in the Classroom and Beyond: Discover how faculty and leaders can foster and model a mindset of innovation. Learn strategies to encourage experimentation, collaboration, and resilience among students and colleagues, making them ready to tackle modern challenges with creativity and confidence.

By the end of this workshop, participants know or will be able to:

• Describe design thinking
• Identify tools and techniques used by the world's leading designers
• Understand how faculty can enhance and model innovative mindsets

Plans for Audience Participation and Interaction:

This interactive workshop will include discussions, reflection, and active learning with design thinking tools.