Design Thinking – Professional Track

Modul I – Setting up a human-centered Collaboration Culture with the strategic Design Thinking principles of Space, Diversity and Empathy. 

Content of the first module:
How can space be used as an innovation engine?
How are team dynamics of multidisciplinary teams navigated effectively?
How can we research and analyze relevant user needs? 

Module II – Running innovation processes in uncertain contexts with the strategic Design Thinking principles of Synthesis, Prototyping and Iteration  

Content of the second module:
How does the synthesis of user data become a springboard for ideation?
How can quick prototyping accelerate the decision-making process?
How does iteration work to speed up the learning process. 

Module III – Sustaining strategy implementation 

with the strategic Design Thinking principles of Analogy, Storytelling and Systems Thinking. 

Content of the third module:
How can analogies be used for participation in change processes?
How can storytelling be used in strategic implementation?
How does systems thinking help to identify the critical levers in transformation project flows? 

The leadership perspective will have its dedicated space in our reflections and focus your tasks as a team leader on your various roles whether as a sports team captain, inspiring explorer, or visionary pilot.

New additional online module: “Leading a Remote Team” 

Content of the module:

• How to energize my remote team with the best team building and warmup methods
• How to develop a concept to transfer my analog meeting to the virtual space
• How to create critical working sessions in a Design Thinking project online 

Please note, this is not a tutorial for online collaboration tools, even though tools like Zoom or Miro are going to be used. This module is optional and is offered as a complement to Modules I – III. 

Learning model and structure 

The curriculum is built on experience-based learning in interdisciplinary teams. Participants go through training sessions in short, intensive design sprints, which enable active and iterative learning. New knowledge is deepened and anchored in daily reflection rounds. 

This Design Thinking training makes use of different learning modes, and thus enables long-term anchoring of what has been learned as cognitive, motivational and practical knowledge.  

Each module is structured into 3 training phases: 

Experience: the most impactful Design Thinking principles in deep dive exercises.  

Apply: Design Thinking methods and tools to work on a real business challenge presented by a start-up. 

Transfer: acquired knowledge and skills to your own company project developed during the course. 

Project work 

During the program, participants work on two real projects. These can later serve as a basis for leading innovation teams through Design Thinking projects in the future: 

• The business challenge of a startup partner in which participants apply Design Thinking methods in their Design Thinking team on Day 2 of the program on HPI campus. 
• The company project that participants carry out on Day 3 of the program on the HPI campus and in between the modules in their own company. 

Company Project 

In the Professional Track, participants apply their new knowledge and skills directly to the project that they brought to the course. This gives participants the opportunity to use their own project as a lighthouse project that immediately reflects the effect of agile working methods and the human-centered solution in their organization. The lighthouse project thus serves as a blueprint for further replication of Design Thinking projects.  

Participants can choose the topic of their company project from three different areas of organizational value creation: portfolio development (products and services), internal infrastructure and processes, or relationships to partners and clients. 

Duration and days of presence 

The Professional Track is an intensive three-part Design Thinking program with 10 days of presence on the HPI campus. The time span of three months allows the necessary time investment to be integrated into the working schedule. During the course, one module takes place once a month. Participants continue working on their company project in their organization between each module. A time investment of 20% of regular working time is recommended for an optimal retention rate. Experienced Design Thinking coaches support off-campus time with remote support sessions, which ensure direct application and successful transfer of learnings.