IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Introduction to THANKS TO OUR KEYSTONE
FUNDING PARTNER
Human-Centered
Design
ONLINE COURSE SYLLABUS
INTRODUCTION TO
HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN
Learn from IDEO.org to use human-centered design for social innovation
Course Description What You’ll Learn
Human-centered design (HCD) is a creative + Master the 4 steps of the human-
approach to problem solving pioneered by centered design process to create
the design firm IDEO. innovative solutions to real-world
+ACUMEN Business Models for Social Impact
challenges
This is an intensive, hands-on learning
+ Build an effective interview guide
experience that will challenge you to get
to learn and document your use
out of your chair and out into the real
research
world to talk to people and test your ideas.
You’ll leave this experience equipped and + Gain strategies for synthesizing
energized to apply the human-centered your user research and identifying
design process to challenges across opportunities for design
industries, sectors, and geographies to + Practice creative techniques to
generate breakthrough ideas. build rapid prototypes and make
your ideas come to life
Course Format
+ Learn to effectively test your
This is an online course. You can view and
prototypes with real users and
access all course materials at your own pace
identify promising solutions to
during the period that the course is open.
begin implementing
There are no live sessions or specific times
you need to log in.
Statement of Accomplishment
Upon completion of this course, you will
earn a Statement of Accomplishment
signed by the Director of +Acumen and the
Executive Director of IDEO.org that you can
share with your professional networks.
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+ACUMEN Business Models for Social Impact
+ Introduction and the Beginner’s + Discussion: Introduction to
Mind Human-Centered Design
+ Icebreaker: Visual Telephone + Activity: Mini Design Challenge to
Design a Better Commute
+ Activity: Choose Your Design + Activity: Plan Your Research
Challenge
+ Activity: Build an Interview Guide
+ Discussion: Team Knowledge and
+ Activity: Conduct Your Research
Key Assumptions
3
+ACUMEN Business Models for Social Impact
+ Discussion: Share Stories and + Activity: Create Insights
Learnings from User Research Statements
+ Activity: Cluster Insights into + Activity: Create ‘How Might We’
Themes Questions
+ Activity: Brainstorm + Discussion: Determine What to
Prototype
+ Activity: Select Your Best Ideas
+ Activity: Start Prototyping
+ Activity: Gut Check
+ Activity: Test Your Prototype and
+ Activity: Create a Storyboard
Get Feedback
4
+ACUMEN Business Models for Social Impact
+ Activity: Create an Action Plan + Reflection
+ Activity: Create a Pitch + Discussion: Moving Forward
+ Activity: Share Your Solution
5
WHERE WILL
YOU GO NEXT?
+Acumen is a vibrant community of change Take Another +Acumen Course
leaders around the world. We believe that With the largest offering of online education
by working together to amplify the impact in the social impact space, we’ve got courses
of each other’s work, we’ll create a world in personal development, leadership and
beyond poverty. When this course wraps up, social entrepreneurship. As you have just
+ACUMEN Business Models for Social Impact
how will you continue to stay connected? experienced, our hands-on courses offer
a practical and collaborative environment
Amplify to move your work forward. Check out our
Consider taking on a new design challenge calendar of upcoming courses.
or bring a prototype to your next meeting
to move your work forward. You could also If you’re interested in learning more about
get a team together to submit ideas and human-centered design and social impact,
prototypes to IDEO.org’s Amplify program to check out:
help solve some of the world’s most pressing + Human-Centered Design 201:
problems. Prototyping: Learn from IDEO.
org designers to make your ideas
Design Kit come to life
Sign up on Design Kit to receive updates
+ Facilitator’s Guide to Human-
on new content, download or get your own
Centered Design: Lead others
Field Guide to Human-Centered Design,
through the human-centered
add your favorite Methods to your own
design process
personalized online toolkit, and share
stories of how you’ve used human-centered + Social Entrepreneurship 101:
design in your own work! Discover Your Passion and Path to
Change the World
CONNECT WITH +ACUMEN courses@plusacumen.org
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WHERE WILL
YOU GO NEXT?
Learn from the Best Become a Catalyst
At +Acumen, we’re fortunate and grateful Catalysts are current and former students
to work with some of the world’s most who care deeply about helping others
incredible thought-leaders. They are unlock their potential. They enrich the
masters of their craft who have generously course experience as guides -– answering
+ACUMEN Business Models for Social Impact
given their time to create courses based on questions, helping students get unstuck,
their work. +Acumen Master Classes include and encouraging them to go beyond their
instructors such as Chris Anderson (Head of limitations. Apply what you’ve learned in
TED), Angela Duckworth (an award-winning the course in a new way by coaching others
psychologist and MacArthur genius), Krista through the material, engage deeply in the
Tippett (an NPR Radio Host) and Dan Ariely work of others and meet students from
(a professor of behavioral psychology from around the world. Apply to be a catalyst.
Duke University). If you’re interested in
learning more about impact and business, Join the +Acumen Corps
check out: We launched the +Acumen Corps to bring
individuals together to collaborate and
Adam Grant connect. We all know that driving social
on Developing change is hard work and that in order to
Original Ideas: create the change we seek in the world, we
How to become an need each other. Corps members are bonded
original thinker by our shared goal of creating a world
capable of driving beyond poverty and that it will take all of us
creativity and to achieve it. To join the +Acumen Corps you
change in the must participate and complete a +Acumen
world Challenge. Check out the +Acumen Corps
website to learn about and apply for
Elizabeth Gilbert’s upcoming challenges.
Creativity
Workshop:
Jumpstart your
creative journey
with coaching
from a bestselling
novelist
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