Design Thinking - Level 1

The business environment is increasingly challenged with solving complex business problems in a collaborative way while working with end-users, clients, and citizens. Whether you are starting a new project or experiencing a roadblock in your current one, effective design thinking practices provide a roadmap from empathizing with your clients to generate ideas, test them, and iterate on the solutions until you find a desired outcome.

Design thinking is a user-centric, solutions-based methodology. It provides the structure and methods for solving complex problems that can be used to disrupt traditional approaches to citizen service delivery in a creative way. By leveraging an inclusive problem-solving approach, it provides a deep understanding of user needs and allows departments and individuals to deliver on “the possible”.

Design thinking methodology includes five (5) phases; Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test. Throughout the course, we will guide participants through each phase and the various tools and methods that can be applied to work with clients, citizens, and in life. Various case studies identifying solid design thinking approaches will be reviewed and used to ensure a deep understanding among the participants.

Program Topics

• Basics of Design Thinking
• Understanding Good Design
• Tools and Methods Used in Design Thinking
• Breaking Down Problems
• Designing for the Customer

Objectives

• Identify the tools and methods used in design thinking and how to apply them to real-world challenges;
• Establish methods to recognize and understand citizen and client needs; and
• Learn how to apply design thinking to identify ways to enhance and improve citizen and end-user experience while increasing innovation in a public sector setting.

Virtual Format

This training will be taking place virtually on April 14-15, 2026 with 2 sessions per day; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. We use a virtual platform that you are able to access from your home network. You do not need your corporate VPN to access the training.

Schedule:

• April 14th: 9am-10:30am & 1pm-2:30pm
• April 15th: 9am-10:30am & 1pm-2:30pm

You will receive separate invitations to all 4 sessions listed above upon registration.

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Ready to jumpstart your design thinking journey?

Explore 'Future Proofing By Design: Creating Better Services and Teams in the Public Sector Through Design Thinking' by Nilufer Erdebil—your go-to guide for design thinking 101.

Get your copy now!Available in 📖 Paperback &📱 E-book formats.

Design Thinking for Complex Environments | Nilufer Erdebil | TEDxOttawa

Check out Nilufer Erdebil's inspiring TEDxOttawa talk to dive into the world of innovative problem-solving. #DesignThinking #Innovation

🎥 Watch the video below