| Language of instruction: |
English |
| Type of course: |
Non-Departmental Elective |
| Course Level: |
Bachelor’s Degree (First Cycle)
|
| Mode of Delivery: |
Face to face
|
| Course Coordinator : |
Assist. Prof. HANDAN TEMELTAŞ |
| Recommended Optional Program Components: |
None |
| Course Objectives: |
The aims of the Design thinking course are to provide students with knowledge and skills about producing innovative and user-oriented solutions. This course aims to introduce students to the methods and tools to be used in the problem solving process, such as creative thinking, empathy, understanding user needs, looking from different perspectives, prototyping and testing. It also teaches students collaboration skills such as teamwork, communication and leadership. Design thinking course motivates and inspires students to produce innovative solutions to real-world problems. |
| This 14-week Design Thinking course aims to teach students the fundamentals of design thinking. The course covers topics such as collaboration and teamwork, different thinking and creativity methods, design thinking tools and techniques, empathy and user-centered design, problem definition, ideation, prototyping and iteration, testing, design thinking case studies, design thinking workshops, and projects. At the end of the course, students will apply the design thinking process to create their final presentations and evaluate the course. The teaching methods of the course are as follows: Lecture, collaborative learning, observation, discussion, individual study, problem solving and implementation. |
| Week |
Subject |
Related Preparation |
| 1) |
Introduction to Design Thinking
• Overview of design thinking principles and methodologies
• Understanding the design thinking process |
Research Assignment |
| 2) |
Collaboration and Teamwork
Design Thinking in Business
• Effective teamwork and communication in design thinking
• Collaborative ideation and decision-making techniques
• Applying design thinking to business challenges
• Product development and service design using design thinking
• Creating inclusive and ethical solutions through design thinking |
Research Assignment |
| 3) |
Different Ways of Thinking and Creativity
• Creative Thinking
• Critical Thinking
• Systemic Thinking
• Analytical Thinking |
Research Assignment |
| 4) |
Design Thinking Tools and Techniques
• Introduction to various design thinking tools and techniques
• Persona development, journey mapping, and design sprints |
Research Assignment |
| 5) |
Empathy and User-Centered Design
• Importance of empathy in design thinking
• Techniques for conducting user research and gathering insights |
Research Assignment |
| 6) |
Problem Definition
• Defining design problems effectively with appropriate tools |
Practical Assignment |
| 7) |
Ideation
• Brainstorming and other techniques for generating innovative ideas |
Practical Assignment |
| 8) |
Midterm Exam |
N/A |
| 9) |
Prototyping and Iteration
Testing
• Introduction to prototyping methods
• Rapid prototyping and iterative design process
• User Tests
• Feedback Gathering
• Improvement
|
Practical Assignment |
| 10) |
Design Thinking Case Studies
• Analyzing real-world examples of successful design thinking projects
• Learning from design thinking success stories across industries |
Practical Assignment |
| 11) |
Design Thinking Workshop 1
• Hands-on workshop to apply design thinking principles and methods
• Collaborative design thinking project in small groups
• Applying design thinking process to solve a real-world problem |
Practical Assignment |
| 12) |
Design Thinking Workshop 2
• Continued hands-on workshop to practice design thinking techniques
• Collaborative design thinking project in small groups
• Applying design thinking process to solve a real-world problem |
Presentation Assignment |
| 13) |
Design Thinking Project / Pre-Presentations |
Presentation Assignment |
| 14) |
Design Thinking Project / Pre-Presentations |
Presentation Assignment |
| |
Program Outcomes |
Level of Contribution |
| 1) |
Develop close interest in human mind and behavior, and attain critical thinking skills (in particular the ability to evaluate psychological theories using empirical evidence), as well as appreciating psychology as an evidence based science. |
|
| 2) |
Gain a biopsychosocial understanding of human behavior, namely, the biological, psychological, social determinants of behavior. |
|
| 3) |
Acquire theoretical and applied knowledge and learn about basic psychological concepts and perspectives |
|
| 4) |
Familiarize with methodology and data evaluation techniques by being aware of scientific research methods (i.e. correlational, experimental, longitudinal, case study). |
|
| 5) |
Employ ethical sensitivity while doing assessment, research or working with groups. |
|
| 6) |
Familiarize with the essential perspectives of psychology (cognitive, developmental, clinical, social, behavioral, and biological). |
|
| 7) |
Get the opportunity and skills to evaluate qualitative and quantitative data, write reports, and present them. |
|
| 8) |
Attain preliminary knowledge for psychological measurement and evaluation. |
|
| 9) |
To have a basic knowledge of other disciplines (e.g. sociology, history, political science, communication studies, philosophy, anthropology, literature, law, art, etc) that can contribute to psychology and to be able to make use of this knowledge in understanding and interpreting of psychological process. |
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