Design Thinking MicroMasters Program

Overview

Innovation. Creativity. Strategic thinking. In the past year, more than 279,000 job postings have listed these skills. Another 239,000 mention design thinking.

Why has design thinking become one of the most sought-after skills? Employers are looking for problem solving, creativity, critical thinking, and analytical skills to enhance the capabilities of their employees to lead their companies into a successful future. 

Design thinking was developed out of the processes used by designers including user understanding and user experience, however, its application may be used to address non-product oriented problems as well –from innovating new product or service possibilities to implementing procedural change, or identifying a new strategic direction for the company.

In the Design Thinking MicroMasters Program, which is offered by EdX in partnership with Rochester Institute of Technology - RITx, you will learn how to use the design thinking process to solve problems creatively, collaboratively and empathetically.

Earning the MicroMasters credential will equip you with knowledge of the processes and techniques used to solve problems and innovate in the workplace.

Job Outlook

In a recent McKinsey poll, 84% of global executives reported that innovation was extremely important to their growth strategies, but a staggering 94% were dissatisfied with their organizations’ innovation performance.

The corporate world has seen an explosion of innovation programs in the past few years, with 38% of the leading 200 companies setting up innovation centers in a global tech hub. 

The top in-demand skills according to the World Economic Forum include complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity and emotional intelligence.

What You'll Learn:

• User-centered research skills to gain user empathy through interviews and observations

• Strategies to understand user context to identify and verify business problems

• Ideation and visualization techniques to generate targeted and creative solutions

• Methods for evaluating and applying user feedback from testing models and prototypes to identify preferred solutions