Top 10 Design Thinking Courses, Certifications & Training Online in 2023

Design thinking is a problem-solving approach that emphasizes empathy, experimentation, and iterative prototyping. It is a human-centered approach that puts the needs and experiences of the end-users at the center of the design process.

The design thinking process usually consists of the following five stages:

1. Empathize: This stage involves understanding the needs and experiences of the end-users by conducting research, observation, and interviews.
2. Define: In this stage, designers use the insights gathered in the empathy stage to define the problem they are trying to solve. This involves reframing the problem in a way that is actionable and focused on the needs of the end-users.
3. Ideate: In this stage, designers generate a wide range of ideas and solutions to the defined problem. Brainstorming, sketching, and other creative exercises are often used to generate a large number of ideas.
4. Prototype: In this stage, designers create rough prototypes of their ideas to test and refine them. Prototyping can involve creating physical models, mockups, or digital simulations.
5. Test: In this stage, designers test their prototypes with end-users to get feedback and insights. Based on the feedback, they refine their designs and iterate through the process again if necessary.

Design thinking can be applied to a wide range of problems, from product design to service design to organizational change. It is a flexible and adaptable approach that encourages experimentation and innovation.

1. Design Thinking for Innovation by University of Virginia

The Design Thinking for Innovation course offered by the University of Virginia is an online course that teaches the principles and methods of design thinking. The course is designed to help students develop creative problem-solving skills and learn how to apply them in real-world settings.

The course is divided into six modules, each of which covers a different aspect of the design thinking process:

1. Introduction to Design Thinking: This module provides an overview of the design thinking process and introduces students to the key principles and methods of design thinking.
2. Empathy and Problem Definition: This module focuses on understanding the needs and experiences of end-users and defining the problem to be solved.
3. Ideation and Concept Development: This module covers the ideation phase of the design thinking process, where students learn how to generate and develop ideas.
4. Prototyping: This module focuses on creating prototypes and testing them with end-users to gather feedback and refine the design.
5. Testing and Implementation: This module covers the testing phase of the design thinking process, where students learn how to test their prototypes with end-users and use the feedback to refine their design.
6. Design Thinking in Action: In this final module, students apply the principles and methods of design thinking to a real-world project.

Throughout the course, students work on a group project where they apply the design thinking process to a real-world problem. The course also includes quizzes, assignments, and peer assessments to help students learn and apply the concepts covered in each module.

Overall, the Design Thinking for Innovation course offered by the University of Virginia is a great resource for anyone looking to develop their design thinking skills and learn how to apply them in a real-world context.

Key Highlights

• Most popular Design Thinking Course on Coursera with maximum student enrolments
• Understand what design thinking is and when to use it and how to use the Visualization tool
• Learn to use design thinking to generate innovative ideas and how to use the Mind Mapping tool
• Understand how to take the many ideas you generate and determine which ones are likely to produce specific, desired outcomes
• Abundance of case studies, readings, and activities that help learners uncover creative thinking, innovation and opportunities
• Learn how to prepare to see and take action when opportunity arises and how to use the Storytelling tool
• Understand how to use the Learning Launch tool

Duration : 4 weeks, 2-3 hours per week
Rating : 4.6
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2. Managing Innovation and Design Thinking Specialization by HEC Paris (Coursera)

The Managing Innovation and Design Thinking Specialization offered by HEC Paris on Coursera is a series of courses that covers the principles and practices of innovation management and design thinking. The specialization is designed to help students develop the skills and knowledge necessary to lead innovation projects and drive organizational change.

The specialization consists of five courses:

1. Introduction to Innovation Management: This course provides an overview of the innovation process and introduces students to the key concepts and frameworks of innovation management.
2. Design Thinking and Creativity for Innovation: This course focuses on the principles and methods of design thinking, including empathy, prototyping, and iteration.
3. Innovation Strategy: This course covers the development of innovation strategies and the alignment of innovation initiatives with organizational goals and objectives.
4. Innovation Implementation: This course focuses on the implementation of innovation projects, including project management, risk management, and change management.
5. Innovation Leadership: In this final course, students learn about the leadership skills and behaviors necessary to drive innovation and create a culture of innovation within an organization.

Throughout the specialization, students work on a capstone project where they apply the principles and methods of innovation management and design thinking to a real-world problem. The capstone project provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills and to receive feedback and guidance from peers and instructors.

Overall, the Managing Innovation and Design Thinking Specialization offered by HEC Paris on Coursera is a comprehensive and practical program that provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead innovation projects and drive organizational change.

Key Highlights

• Highest rated Coursera Design Thinking program
• Understand what is design thinking, its foundations, principles and main phases
• Understand why firms innovate, why and how they compete on innovation, and the role of innovation in shaping the strategic decisions of companies
• Build your own prototype for a product, service, or business design
• Learn to evaluate the value-creating potential of your business idea and design the business model that is best suited to capturing this value
• Understand the diffusion of design thinking in established firms
• Develop a personal tool-box and managerial framework to effectively foster creativity in your organization

Duration : 5 months, 6 hours per week
Rating : 4.7
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3. Micromasters Program in Design Thinking by Rochester Institute (edX)

The Micromasters program in Design Thinking offered by Rochester Institute of Technology on edX is a professional certification program designed to provide learners with a deep understanding of the principles and practices of design thinking.

The program consists of four online courses that cover the following topics:

1. Design Thinking Fundamentals
2. Design Thinking: Ideation, Iteration and Communication
3. Design Thinking: Prototyping and User Testing
4. Design Thinking Capstone

In the first course, learners will gain an understanding of design thinking principles and practices, and how to apply them to real-world problems. The second course focuses on ideation, iteration, and communication, while the third course covers prototyping and user testing.

The fourth course is a capstone project, where learners will apply the knowledge and skills they have gained throughout the program to solve a real-world problem. Upon completion of the program, learners will earn a Micromasters credential from Rochester Institute of Technology.

The program is designed for professionals in a variety of fields, including business, engineering, healthcare, education, and government, who want to learn how to apply design thinking to solve complex problems in their organizations. The program is self-paced, and learners can complete it on their own schedule.

Key Highlights

• Innovative program that offers flexible way to gain the most-in demand design thinking professional skills and advance career
• Designed for anyone who wants to add more creative and strategic thinking into their career, be it entrepreneurs, professionals who work in teams, executives, managers etc.
• Learn user-cantered research skills to gain user empathy through interviews and observations
• Acquire strategies to understand user context to identify and verify business problems
• Learn ideation and visualization techniques to generate targeted and creative solutions
• Learn methods for evaluating and applying user feedback from testing models and prototypes to identify preferred solutions

Duration : 7-8 months, 8-12 hours per week
Rating : 4.7
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4. Design Thinking in 3 Steps (Udemy)

“Design Thinking in 3 Steps” is an online course offered by Udemy that teaches learners the basics of the design thinking process. The course is divided into three main sections, with each section covering one step of the process.

The first section focuses on understanding the problem, which involves identifying the needs and goals of the target audience. Learners will learn how to conduct research and gather information to gain a deeper understanding of the problem they are trying to solve.

The second section covers ideation, where learners will learn how to generate creative ideas and solutions to the problem they have identified. This section also covers techniques for selecting and refining ideas to ensure they are feasible and effective.

The third and final section of the course is about prototyping and testing. Learners will learn how to create prototypes of their ideas and test them with users to get feedback and refine their solutions.

Throughout the course, learners will be introduced to various tools and techniques commonly used in design thinking, such as user personas, empathy maps, mind mapping, brainstorming, and rapid prototyping.

This course is suitable for anyone who wants to learn the basics of design thinking, including entrepreneurs, product managers, designers, engineers, and students. The course is self-paced, and learners can complete it at their own speed. Upon completion, learners will receive a certificate of completion from Udemy.

Key Highlights

• Learn about design thinking while working on a real project
• Understand how to plan and conduct effective design research, including user interviews
• Learn how to understand problems from the audiences’ perspective
• Learn to create and use a storyboard to communicate your design ideas
• Learn to make a plan to iterate your idea forward
• Learn to create prototypes to test your idea early, before making a big investment of time and money

Duration : 1.5 hours on-demand video
Rating : 4.4
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5. Foundations in Design Thinking Certificate (IDEO U)

Foundations in Design Thinking Certificate is an online course offered by IDEO U, which is the online learning platform of the global design firm IDEO. The course is designed to provide learners with a deep understanding of the principles and practices of design thinking and equip them with the skills needed to apply design thinking in their work and personal life.

The course consists of five modules, which cover the following topics:

1. Introduction to Design Thinking: An overview of the design thinking process and its applications.
2. Empathy: How to understand the needs and perspectives of users through observation and empathy.
3. Define: How to define the problem and frame it in a way that inspires creative solutions.
4. Ideate: Techniques for generating and selecting innovative ideas.
5. Prototype and Test: How to build and test prototypes to refine and improve solutions.

Throughout the course, learners will work on a real-world project, applying the principles and practices of design thinking to solve a problem in their own life or work. They will also have access to a community of learners and mentors to share ideas and receive feedback.

The course is self-paced, and learners can complete it at their own speed. Upon completion, learners will receive a Foundations in Design Thinking Certificate from IDEO U. This course is suitable for professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to learn the basics of design thinking and apply it to their work or personal life.

Key Highlights

• Gain foundational and practical understanding of the essential design thinking skills and mindsets
• Learn to use ideation techniques to quickly generate, develop, and test new ideas
• Learn how to de-risk your new ideas by gaining feedback through rapid prototypes
• Opportunities to try the skills learnt through real-world project challenges
• Taught by instructors who are subject matter experts and have led thousands of design projects across the globe
• A lot of focus on sharing and discussing ideas with a global peer network to enhance understanding
• A variety of reflective activities to help learners make the connections to their specific work challenges
• Self-paced courses with no deadline for certificate completion

Duration : 2-3 months, 4 hours per week
Rating : 4.6
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6. Agile Meets Design Thinking by University of Virginia (Coursera)

“Agile Meets Design Thinking” is an online course offered by the University of Virginia on the Coursera platform. The course is designed to help learners understand how to combine the principles of Agile and Design Thinking to create effective and innovative solutions.

The course is divided into four modules, covering the following topics:

1. Introduction to Agile and Design Thinking: An overview of the principles and practices of Agile and Design Thinking, and how they can be combined.
2. Agile Practices: How to use Agile practices, such as sprints and retrospectives, to improve team collaboration and accelerate the design process.
3. Design Thinking Practices: Techniques for understanding user needs, prototyping and testing ideas, and iterating on solutions.
4. Agile Meets Design Thinking: How to combine Agile and Design Thinking practices to create a cohesive and effective design process.

Throughout the course, learners will work on a real-world project, applying the principles and practices they have learned to solve a problem in their own organization or community. They will also have access to a community of learners and mentors to share ideas and receive feedback.

The course is self-paced, and learners can complete it at their own speed. Upon completion, learners will earn a certificate of completion from the University of Virginia. This course is suitable for professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in combining the principles of Agile and Design Thinking to create innovative solutions.

Key Highlights

• Agile and Design Thinking Course endorsed by Project Management Institute (PMI)
• Learn to evaluate and explain the relevance of concepts and practices from the agile development methodologies
• Learn to use design methods like personas and problem scenarios
• Understand how to facilitate narrative collaboration with user stories and prototypes
• Learn how to diagnose what software will be valuable to the user and how to test your ideas using agile user stories and prototypes

Duration : 4 weeks, 2-5 hours per week
Rating : 4.7
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7. Design Thinking and Creativity for Innovation by University of Queensland (edX)

“Design Thinking and Creativity for Innovation” is an online course offered by the University of Queensland on the edX platform. The course is designed to help learners develop skills in design thinking and creativity to drive innovation in their organizations and personal life.

The course is divided into four modules, covering the following topics:

1. Introduction to Design Thinking and Creativity: An overview of the design thinking process, and how creativity can be used to drive innovation.
2. Empathy and Problem Framing: Techniques for understanding user needs and framing problems in a way that inspires creative solutions.
3. Ideation and Prototyping: How to generate and select innovative ideas, and build prototypes to test and refine solutions.
4. Implementation and Beyond: Strategies for implementing and scaling innovative solutions, and maintaining a culture of innovation in organizations.

Throughout the course, learners will work on a real-world project, applying the principles and practices they have learned to solve a problem in their own organization or community. They will also have access to a community of learners and mentors to share ideas and receive feedback.

The course is self-paced, and learners can complete it at their own speed. Upon completion, learners will earn a certificate of completion from the University of Queensland. This course is suitable for professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in developing skills in design thinking and creativity to drive innovation.

Key Highlights

• Learn how creativity and design thinking can help businesses solve complex problems
• Explore different creativity and design processes and how they can be used to generate better ideas
• Learn to apply ideas to a customer discovery approach to understand their value in the market place
• Learn how to use a variety of tools to help validate your ideas to improve their chances for impact
• Learn to use design sprints to integrate the different elements of the course into a systematic method for generating and testing new ideas
• Self-paced course that can be taken at your own time
• Course available for Free. Can add a verified certificate at a small fee.

Duration : 10 weeks, 8-10 hours per week
Rating : 4.5
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8. Design-Led Strategy: Design thinking for business strategy and entrepreneurship by University of Sydney (Coursera)

“Design-Led Strategy: Design thinking for business strategy and entrepreneurship” is an online course offered by the University of Sydney on the Coursera platform. The course is designed to help learners understand how to use design thinking to develop and implement business strategies and create successful entrepreneurial ventures.

The course is divided into four modules, covering the following topics:

1. Introduction to Design-Led Strategy: An overview of the design thinking process, and how it can be used to develop business strategies.
2. Understanding the Market: Techniques for understanding customer needs and the competitive landscape.
3. Designing the Strategy: How to use design thinking to develop and refine business strategies.
4. Implementation and Scaling: Strategies for implementing and scaling successful business ventures.

Throughout the course, learners will work on a real-world project, applying the principles and practices they have learned to develop a business strategy or entrepreneurial venture. They will also have access to a community of learners and mentors to share ideas and receive feedback.

The course is self-paced, and learners can complete it at their own speed. Upon completion, learners will earn a certificate of completion from the University of Sydney. This course is suitable for professionals, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in using design thinking to develop and implement successful business strategies.

Key Highlights

• Highly-rated and popular free Design thinking course on Coursera
• Gain a set of tools to inform product design and development for your start-up or organization
• Learn the practical application of design thinking to overcome organizational roadblocks
• Be able to use design strategy in your own business context
• Corporate case studies provide meaningful insights into impact of design strategies on an organization’s success
• Multiple quizzes and exercises and supplemental reading materials at the end of each section

Duration : 5 weeks, 3-5 hours per week
Rating : 4.6
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9. Design Thinking for the Greater Good: Innovation in the Social Sector by University of Virginia (Coursera)

“Design Thinking for the Greater Good: Innovation in the Social Sector” is an online course offered by the University of Virginia on the Coursera platform. The course is designed to help learners understand how to apply design thinking principles to solve complex social challenges.

The course is divided into four modules, covering the following topics:

1. Introduction to Design Thinking: An overview of the design thinking process, and how it can be applied to social challenges.
2. Empathy and Problem Framing: Techniques for understanding user needs and framing problems in a way that inspires creative solutions.
3. Ideation and Prototyping: How to generate and select innovative ideas, and build prototypes to test and refine solutions.
4. Implementation and Scaling: Strategies for implementing and scaling successful solutions in the social sector.

Throughout the course, learners will work on a real-world project, applying the principles and practices they have learned to solve a social challenge in their own community. They will also have access to a community of learners and mentors to share ideas and receive feedback.

Key Highlights

• Learn what design thinking is and how to use it to address major social issues
• Prepare to see and take action when opportunity arises
• Learn to understand the problem you’re trying to solve, generate testable ideas and make small bets quickly
• Understand how to take the many ideas you generate and determine which ones are likely to produce specific, desired outcomes

Duration : 4 weeks, 2-4 hours per week
Rating : 4.7
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10. Design Thinking Online Courses Free (LinkedIn Learning – Lynda)

LinkedIn Learning (previously known as Lynda.com) offers a variety of free online courses in design thinking. Some of the courses are:

1. “Design Thinking: Understanding the Process”: This course provides an introduction to the design thinking process and its key principles.
2. “Design Thinking: Prototyping”: In this course, learners will learn how to prototype and test their design solutions.
3. “Design Thinking: Customer Experience”: This course explores how design thinking can be used to improve the customer experience.
4. “Design Thinking: Lead Change in Your Organization”: This course focuses on how to implement design thinking within an organization.
5. “Design Thinking: Innovation Strategy for Business Growth”: In this course, learners will learn how to use design thinking to develop an innovation strategy for business growth.

These courses are self-paced and can be accessed for free with a LinkedIn Learning subscription. LinkedIn Learning offers a one-month free trial for new users, after which there is a monthly subscription fee. However, some courses may be available for free without a subscription, so it’s worth checking them out.

Key Highlights

• Well designed short courses in design thinking from expert educators
• Learn Design Thinking principles and tools and how to use them to solve complex problems in business and even personal lives
• A range of exercises, quizzes, assignments included for hands on practice of the concepts taught
• Courses and study materials available for free as part of 1 month trial membership
• Flexible timelines and self-paced mode of learning
• Good fit for those who are new to design thinking or looking for a refresher course

Duration : Self-paced
Rating : 4.5
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