Design Kit: Prototyping - Acumen

What You'll Learn:

After completing this course, you will be able to:

• Practice the mindsets and methods of human-centered design so that you can become a more effective, innovative problem solver, specifically through prototyping

• Produce tangible results quickly and bring your ideas to life through early, rough prototypes

• Experiment with the power of prototyping in multiple forms—from products to services to environments

• Gain valuable feedback from the people you're designing for, and how that feedback can inform and be integrated into new iterations

• Demonstrate how the cycle of prototyping, feedback, and iteration leads to concept refinement

You will work through the course with a group of 2-6 people that we will refer to as your “design team." It's strongly recommended you form a team before the start of the course with people located nearby, with whom you can meet in-person, but you will also have the opportunity to find a team using the course platform once the course begins.

You will learn the prototyping process by applying it to a real-world design challenge that we will provide for you. Each week you will explore the main concepts of prototyping through readings, case studies, and short videos. Then you'll be expected to meet in-person with your design team to get your hands dirty building prototypes and practicing other relevant human-centered design methods.

Throughout the course, you'll have the opportunity to interact and gain inspiration from design teams around the world also taking the course. Due to the size of this course, instructors will be available to answer questions, but cannot provide feedback on individual assignments. The course occurs entirely online and there are no set meeting times that you are required to log in, but you will set meeting times to meet with your own team. You can log in and access the course materials at any time between the course opening and closing dates.

Many of the workshop activities will work best if your group has 2-6 members (ideally at least 4).

No group?

• Recruit your friends, colleagues, or family members

• Find a group through the course platform once it starts

1 hour of individual reading

~ 3 hours of in-person group work

You will need a computer that allows you to watch videos and the ability to upload assignments which will require Microsoft Word/PowerPoint.

Subject to course completion (completion of all assignments), you will receive a statement of accomplishment signed jointly by +Acumen and IDEO.org.

Approximately 4 hours per week:

1 hour of individual reading
~ 3 hours of in-person group work

You will need a computer that allows you to watch videos and the ability to upload assignments which will require Microsoft Word/PowerPoint.

Subject to course completion (completion of all assignments), you will receive a statement of accomplishment…More »

Approximately 4 hours per week:

1 hour of individual reading
~ 3 hours of in-person group work

You will need a computer that allows you to watch videos and the ability to upload assignments which will require Microsoft Word/PowerPoint.

Subject to course completion (completion of all assignments), you will receive a statement of accomplishment signed jointly by +Acumen and IDEO.org.