SCWK8848 · Social Work

Practicing Design Thinking for Social Change

School of Social Work

In this course, students will practice methods connected to the theories and approaches introduced in Theories of Design Thinking for Social Change. Design thinking refers to a non-linear, iterative process that organizations use to understand users, challenge assumptions, redefine complex problems, and create innovative solutions to prototype and test. Design thinking processes are becoming increasingly present in organizations striving to increase equity or push for social change andwhen done wellare notable for their inclusion of users throughout the design process. Through a combination of teaching methods, including didactic classroom lectures, structured role-playing, and other classroom exercises, students will become well-versed in how design thinking methods are applicable to a wide variety of work environments (e.g., those focused on education, healthcare, research, legislation, community organizing, and others in both clinical and macro roles). Major topics covered include prototyping, interviewing, usability testing, measuring impact, and planning for sustainability as well as scalability.