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INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT KOZHIKODE

aduate Programme in Management
Course Outline

Course Code and Course Title Design Thinking and Innovation

Course type Core
Pre-requisites (if any) NIL
Course Credit 2
Total no. of sessions 16
Session Duration 75 Minutes
Term IV
Year and Batch 2022-3, PGPLSM-01
Sections (if any) -

Instructor(s) Prof. Deepak Dhayanithy

Contact Details deepak@iimk.ac.in
Office 433
Consultation Hours Through appointment

Introduction

Design thinking approach has gained considerable attention in recent times. In today’s complex
and volatile world leadership in organizations need to appreciate the value that Design Thinking
can bring in for them. “Design Thinking” as the expression suggests is about thinking design
with tie-ups to the users of the design. In other words, it is deeply contextual. It is about deep
empathy with eye for detail and a penchant for helping with issues that the details present. It is
not merely a gloss over of a situation done by the lone decision-maker but a team activity
where people appreciate each other for what they bring on the table. DT can help managers
and entrepreneurs to innovate in today’s uncertain and competitive environment. Keeping that
in mind this course will cover aspects of the philosophy of Design Thinking with hands on
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activities, applying tools and techniques to understand the users, identify a relevant problem,
generate solutions, shortlisting them and finally launching the shortlisted solution.

Learning Outcomes/Course Objectives

The students will learn key concepts and methods related to design thinking for innovation. The
major course objectives are.

• Introduce students to design thinking -an iterative, collaborative and user centric
approach towards innovation in society
• Build on student’s individual and collaborative capabilities to identify user needs, create
and receive feedback on concept hypothesis and develop visualizations and prototypes.
• Train students to translate broadly defined opportunities to actionable innovations
possibilities

Textbooks and Learning Materials

Textbook:

• Jeanne Liedtka and Tim Ogilvie, Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Tool Kit for
Managers, Columbia University Press, 2011. (Kindle Version)

Reference Books:

• Jeanne Liedtka and Tim Ogilvie. The designing for growth field book: A step-by-step
project guide. Columbia University Press. 2019
• Michael G. Luchs, Scott Swan and Abbie Griffin, Design Thinking: New Product
Development Essentials from the PDMA, Wiley, 2018.
• Tim Brown, Change by Design: How Design Thinking Transforms Organizations and
Inspires Innovation, Harper Collins, 2009.

Other Reference Materials

• Christian Bason, Robert D. Austin. (March, 2019). The Right Way to Lead Design Thinking.
Harvard Business Review article
• Jeanne M. Liedtka. (September, 2018) Why Design Thinking Works. Harvard Business
Review Article
• Cheryl Nakata (Nov 2020) Design thinking for innovation: Considering distinctions, fit,
and use in firms. Harvard Business Review Article
• Cary, John. (June 25, 2013). What is Design, if Not Human Centered? Stanford Social
Innovation Review
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(http://ssir.org/articles/entry/what_is_design_if_not_human_centered)
• Cary, John. (October, 2014). Let IDEO’s Top Brass Show You How to Solve Problems Like
a Designer. Fast Company Magazine (http://www.fastcodesign.com/3036720/let-
ideostop-brass-show-you-how-to-solveproblems-like-a-designer)
• Design for the Real World - Victor Papanek
• IBM Design Thinking - https://www.ibm.com/design/approach/design-thinking/
• IDEO case - Bank of America “Keep the Change” Account Service
(https://www.ideo.com/work/keep-the-change-account-service-for-bofa)
• IDEO case Millennial “Virtual Wallet” Interactive Banking Experience.
(https://www.ideo.com/work/virtual-wallet-interactive-banking-experience)
• IDEO.ORG, The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design, 1st Edition, 2015.
• Jeanne Liedtka, Perspective: Linking Design Thinking with Innovation Outcomes through
Cognitive Bias Reduction, Journal of Product Innovation Management, 2015, 32(6), pp
925–938.
• Jon Kolko, Design Thinking Comes of Age, Harvard Business Review, September 2015.
• Stanford Bootcamp Bootleg (https://dschool.stanford.edu/resources/the-
bootcampbootleg)
• Stanford D. School. (May 7, 2010). Design for Extreme Affordability. Fast Company
Magazine (http://extreme.stanford.edu/)
• Ten Tools for Design Thinking, Darden Business Publishing, UV 5187, 2011.
• Thomsen, Dave. Why Human Centered Design Matters. Wired Magazine
(http://www.wired.com/insights/2013/12/human-centered-design-matters/)
• Tim Brown, Design Thinking, Harvard Business Review, June 2008, pp 84-92.
• The Design of Everyday Things – Don Norman

Additional Readings/Resources

Other readings will be provided as and when required through Virtual Classroom

Pedagogy Used/Learning Process

Immersive Learning (Workshops, Presentations, Hands-On activities) and case studies. The
course will be primarily experiential in nature. The course will also require a hands-on project
which will be done by the students in teams.

Evaluation Components/Assessment of Student Learning

Assessment Tool Percentage Description

Class Participation/Activities 30 Students will be applying concepts learnt in
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an ongoing basis during the course

Term Project 30 Students will be able to apply the concepts
learnt in different scenarios and learn from
each other as well as share them with the
class
End-Term Exam 40 Assess the conceptual clarity, interpretation
and application skills

Mod Module Name (Broad Sub-Topics Readings/ Cases/ Activities

ule # Topics)
1 Introduction to Design 1.What is design thinking?
Thinking Illustrate the idea of design
thinking with examples
2.What are the important
characteristic features of
design thinking (Iterative,
user centric, collaborative
etc.)?
3. Where does design
thinking find applications?
4.What are the other
application areas /design
thinking as a general
approach?
Liedtka, J. (2018). Why design
thinking works. Harvard
Business Review, 96(5), 7279.
Liedtka, Jeanne M., and Tim
Ogilvie. Designing for
Growth: A Design Thinking
Toolkit for Managers. New
York: Columbia Business
School Publishing, 2011 -
Chapter 1.
HBR Article: Design Thinking
for Social Innovation. Tim
Brown & Jocelyn Wyatt

2 The Design Thinking
Process
1. Overview of the DT process
2. How is it different from
other processes
3. Experiencing the first
stage
Liedtka, Jeanne M., and Tim
Ogilvie. Designing for
Growth: A Design Thinking
Toolkit for Managers. New
York: Columbia Business
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School Publishing, 2011 -

Chapter 2.

Hands On: Gift Giving

Experience
3 Design Thinking for 1. Social/Business Model Design Thinking by Tim
Innovation Canvas Brown. HBR. June 2008
2. The design Thinking Cycle
-Inspiration - Read:
Innovation https://www.tbd.community
-Implementation 3. /en/a/business-modelcanvas-
Illustration of design social-entrepreneurs
thinking Cycle with an
example Assignment:
• Select a product or service
of particular interest to you.
• Choose one that (1) has a
target market that you can
identify and observe in action
and (2) you feel has
significant room for
improvement in the value
that it delivers.
• Lay out the business model,
as you understand it, for that
product or service. Come to
class prepared to describe
how you might approach a
redesign using design
thinking.
4 Identifying 1. Concept Development Liedtka, Jeanne M., and Tim
Opportunities & Process and Innovation Ogilvie. Designing for Growth: A
Scoping Project funnel Design Thinking Toolkit for
2. Sources of new Managers. New York: Columbia
product ideas Business School Publishing,
3. Shortlisting new 2011. Chapter 5
product ideas
4. People, research plan
5. Mapping existing
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solutions
– Pains and gains
6. Value Chain Analysis
5 Deep Dive to 1. Understanding user
Understand Use context
Contexts 2. User persona
3. Observation Methods
4 . Ethnography
6 Gathering user 1. How to discover user
insights through user insights?
research 2. Designing and doing
qualitative interviews
3. Learning from Focus
Group discussions 4.
Journey Maps
5 . Design Criteria
7 Framing Problem 1. Framing problem
Statements Statements
2. Analysis of insights
from research
3. Generating user need
statements
4.Making How Might We
Statements
8 Presentation of
assignment
9-10 Exploring Possible 1. Exploration for possibilities
Solutions 2. Divergent and Convergent
thinking
3.Methods to generate
alternate solutions 4.Group
exercises for creative
exploration 5.Brain Storming
Liedtka, Jeanne M., and Tim
Ogilvie. Designing for
Growth: A Design Thinking
Toolkit for Managers. New
York: Columbia Business
School Publishing, 2011.
Chapter 3.
Hands On: Persona Exercise
Liedtka, Jeanne M., and Tim
Ogilvie. Designing for
Growth: A Design Thinking
Toolkit for Managers. New
York: Columbia Business
School Publishing, 2011
Chapters: 4.
Methods to Help You Define
Synthesize and Make Sense
in Your Research -
http://bit.ly/2Bstcun
Findings from Empathy
Exercise to Design Criteria &
Problem Statement
Liedtka, Jeanne M., and Tim
Ogilvie. Designing for
Growth: A Design Thinking
Toolkit for Managers. New
York: Columbia Business
School Publishing, 2011
Chapters: 7 & 8.
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11 Reviewing Solutions 1. Can you describe and Liedtka, Jeanne M., and Tim
explain your idea? Ogilvie. Designing for
2. From abstract to Growth: A Design Thinking
concrete- How ideas Toolkit for Managers. New
evolve and take shape. York: Columbia Business
3. Back of the napkin School Publishing, 2011 -
presentation of concepts Chapter: 9
4. Make an Elevator pitch
and construct a tweet 5. Hands On:
Go or No Go? Developing Napkin Pitch
12 Visualizing Your Ideas 1 Picturizing your solutions Liedtka, Jeanne M., and Tim
2. Low resolution prototypes Ogilvie. Designing for Growth: A
3. Preparing for user Design Thinking Toolkit for
feedback Managers. New York: Columbia
Business School Publishing,
2011 -Chapter: 10

13 Validating Prototypes 1. What and How of Liedtka, Jeanne M., and Tim
Learning Ogilvie. Designing for
Launches Growth: A Design Thinking
2. Surfacing and testing Toolkit for Managers. New
of assumptions York: Columbia Business
3. Receiving feedback School Publishing, 2011
from users Chapters: 11 & 12
4. Organising for User
Cocreation Hands On:
5. Iterative refinement of User Co-creation Exercise
concepts
6. Test and Repeat
14 Leading Growth and 1. Revisit the problem Liedtka, Jeanne M., and Tim
Innovation and review solutions Ogilvie. Designing for
2. What story do you Growth: A Design Thinking
want to tell? Toolkit for Managers. New
3. Creating a Design York: Columbia Business
Thinking culture School Publishing, 2011
4. Learning Guide Section VI
5. Recap of the Design
Thinking Experience Hands On:
Learning Guide Exercise
15- Presentation of Students Group Presentation Details shall be shared in the
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16 Prototypes VC

Additional Instructions:

Plagiarism or academic misconduct in any form would be considered seriously and as

disciplinary actions, including an F grade in the course, maybe taken against participants.

Group formation: Project works/ Class activities are supposed to be carried out in groups. A
group will have a maximum of five members. Each submission should mention the Group
numbers.

Showcase new service/products – Each student will volunteer to share in any of the sessions a
product/service that they found creative along with an artifact of the product/service and
explain aspects that they found creative about it.

Assignment Work: There will be assignments during the course which need to be submitted by
the deadline on VC. Groups will be working on a term project where they will be working on a
concept idea and giving shape to it/ concretising it. Each of the groups will share their work
with the other groups by way of a presentation and will submit a term paper on the same topic
along with reflections of the Innovation Journey.

Project Work: Understand the Dasgupta Review report. Apply the principles learnt in the course
to develop solutions…more to be discussed in class.