Design Thinking Masterclass | Curriculum & Marketing Guide

DESIGN THINKING
MASTERCLASS
A Complete Online Course Blueprint: Curriculum, Session Plans, Activities,
Evaluation & Marketing Strategy

Empathize · Define · Ideate · Prototype

· Test

Based on Stanford [Link] Framework | 6-Week Online Program | 18 Hours Total Learning

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Design Thinking Masterclass | Curriculum & Marketing Guide

Table of Contents
TOC \h \o "1-2"

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Design Thinking Masterclass | Curriculum & Marketing Guide

Part 1: Course Overview & Introduction

1.1 What This Masterclass Is
Think Like a Designer: The Design Thinking Masterclass is a live, cohort-based online course that
teaches the Stanford [Link]'s five-stage design thinking framework — Empathize, Define, Ideate,
Prototype, and Test — through real-world case studies, hands-on challenges, and collaborative
projects.

This is not a lecture series. Every session is built around doing: participants leave each week with
tangible deliverables, shared language, and a growing toolkit they can immediately apply to
professional challenges.

1.2 Who It's For

• Product managers, UX designers, and researchers wanting a structured innovation
framework
• Business leaders and entrepreneurs looking to embed human-centred thinking in their
teams
• Educators and facilitators who want to teach design thinking
• Anyone who solves complex problems and wants better tools to do it

1.3 Learning Outcomes

By the end of this masterclass, participants will be able to:
1. Apply all five stages of the design thinking framework to a real challenge
2. Conduct empathy-based user research using interviews, observation, and camera studies
3. Write a clear, insight-driven Point of View (POV) statement
4. Facilitate productive ideation sessions using multiple brainstorming techniques
5. Build and test low-to-high fidelity prototypes with real users
6. Synthesize test data to iterate on solutions with confidence

1.4 Course At-a-Glance

Detail Information
Format Live online cohort + async materials
Duration 6 weeks (3 hours per week)
Total learning hours 18 live + 12 async = 30 hours
Session frequency One 3-hour live session per week

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Cohort size 20–30 participants (optimal for breakout groups)

Platform Zoom (live) + Miro (collaboration) + LMS (async)
Certificate Certificate of Completion awarded
Prerequisite None — beginners welcome

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Part 2: Core Curriculum Structure

2.1 Framework Overview
The course follows the five-stage Stanford [Link] model, dedicating one week to each phase plus
an introductory session and a final showcase:

Week Phase Focus

Week 0 (Pre- Orientation Mindset, tools setup, team formation, beginner's mind warm-up
work)
Week 1 Empathize User research methods: interviews, observation, camera
studies, ethnography
Week 2 Define Synthesising research, writing POVs, insight mapping, journey
maps
Week 3 Ideate Brainstorming techniques, How Might We, mindmapping,
design storms
Week 4 Prototype Fidelity levels, paper prototyping, Wizard of Oz, digital tools
Week 5 Test User testing methods, capturing insights, iterating, synthesis
Week 6 Showcase Team presentations, critique, reflection, next steps

2.2 The Throughline Project

Each cohort works on a shared design challenge — a real, complex problem provided at the start of
the course. Past challenges have included redesigning onboarding for a new employee, improving
the experience of booking a medical appointment, or redesigning a public library service.

Why a shared challenge works:

When all participants work on the same problem, they can compare approaches, learn from
divergent paths, and build on each other's thinking — dramatically multiplying individual
learning. Teams of 4–5 people each tackle the challenge independently, so multiple solutions
emerge by Week 6.

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Part 3: Detailed Session Plans

Week 0: Pre-Work & Orientation (Async, ~2 hours)
Session Goal
Build community, set up tools, and prime the design thinking mindset before the first live
session.

Async Activities
• Watch: 10-minute intro video from the facilitator — course overview, what to expect,
beginner's mind framing
• Read: The introduction to design thinking (this document's source material from the Stanford
[Link])
• Do: The Wallet Project — design the ideal wallet for your partner. Complete a 15-minute
version solo and record your reflection
• Set up: Create accounts on Miro (virtual whiteboard) and the LMS; join the cohort Slack
workspace
• Introduce yourself: Post a 60-second Loom video in the #introductions channel

Week 1: Empathize — The Heart of Design (3 hours live)

Session Goal
Participants understand why empathy is the foundation of good design, learn research methods,
and conduct their first user interview on the course challenge.

Session Timeline
Time Activity
0:00–0:20 Welcome, cohort introductions, icebreaker: 'share one product you use every
day that frustrates you'
0:20–0:40 Mini-lecture: What is empathy in design? The Embrace infant warmer and Bank
of America case studies
0:40–1:00 Live demo: How to conduct a good empathy interview (facilitator models good
vs. bad interview technique)
1:00–1:10 Break
1:10–1:50 Activity: Empathy Interview Practice — pairs interview each other using the
course challenge as context
1:50–2:20 Breakout debrief: What surprised you? What did you assume that turned out to

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be wrong?
2:20–2:50 Large group share-out + synthesis preview
2:50–3:00 Week 2 preview, async homework briefing

Key Concepts Covered

• Beginner's mindset: approaching every interaction without assumptions
• Empathy vs. sympathy: feeling with vs. feeling for your user
• Interview techniques: asking 'why' repeatedly, avoiding leading questions, body language
• Extreme users: why people at the edges of your target audience reveal the most insight
• The difference between what people say, do, think, and feel

Async Homework (before Week 2)

• Conduct 3 real user interviews using the interview guide template (provided in LMS)
• Take photos or short videos of your users' environment with permission (camera study
starter)
• Upload raw notes to your team's Miro board

Week 2: Define — Reframe the Problem (3 hours live)

Session Goal
Teams synthesise their empathy data and craft strong Point of View (POV) statements that
reframe the challenge in a way that opens new solution spaces.

Session Timeline
Time Activity
0:00–0:15 Check-in: each team shares one surprising thing they heard in their user
interviews
0:15–0:40 Mini-lecture: How to define the right problem. Netflix, GE Healthcare MRI, and
AwesomeBox POV examples
0:40–1:05 Activity: Insight Clustering — teams use virtual sticky notes on Miro to group
their interview data by theme
1:05–1:15 Break
1:15–1:50 Activity: POV Madlib — teams use the 'We met… We were amazed… It would
change the world if…' framework to write three POV candidates
1:50–2:20 Gallery walk: teams review each other's POVs and leave sticky note feedback
using the POV checklist

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2:20–2:50 Refinement time: teams iterate on their POV based on feedback

2:50–3:00 Week 3 preview and 'How Might We' teaser

Key Concepts Covered

• The difference between symptoms and root causes in user research
• Insight vs. observation: turning raw data into meaningful insight
• The POV checklist from Stanford [Link]: what makes a POV generative vs. limiting
• Journey mapping: visualising the full user experience across touchpoints
• Reframing power: how a changed POV opens entirely new solution spaces

Async Homework (before Week 3)

• Finalise your team's POV statement and post to the LMS discussion board
• Read: 'How Reframing A Problem Unlocks Innovation' (provided link)
• Generate 5 'How Might We' questions from your POV — bring to Week 3

Week 3: Ideate — Beyond Basic Brainstorming (3 hours live)

Session Goal
Teams run structured ideation sessions, generating large volumes of ideas across multiple
formats, and select the most promising ones to prototype.

Session Timeline
Time Activity
0:00–0:15 Warm-up: 30 Circles Exercise — convert 30 blank circles into recognisable
objects in 3 minutes. Debrief: fluency vs. originality
0:15–0:35 Mini-lecture: Why classic brainstorming fails and what to do instead. IDEO's
evolved approach, design storms, mindmapping
0:35–1:05 Activity: Silent Ideation (5 minutes individual) → Classic Brainstorm (20 minutes
team) using 'How Might We' questions from homework
1:05–1:15 Break
1:15–1:45 Activity: Mindmapping — each team member creates a solo mindmap around
one 'How Might We', then compares divergent paths
1:45–2:15 Idea selection: teams use colour-coded dot voting (lowest-hanging fruit / most
delightful / biggest moonshot)
2:15–2:50 Prototyping briefing: introduce the three ideas each team will prototype next
week

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2:50–3:00 Reflection: what ideas surprised you? What would you have never thought of
alone?

Key Concepts Covered

• Defer judgement and reach for quantity: Osborn's two rules
• Generative vs. evaluative thinking: knowing when to flare and when to focus
• 'Yes, and…': improv technique applied to ideation
• Sketching as ideation: why drawing forces commitment to ideas
• The value of wild ideas: how 'insane' ideas seed real innovations

Async Homework (before Week 4)

• Each team identifies their top 3 ideas to prototype
• Sketch at least one concept per idea (photo of paper sketch uploaded to Miro)
• Read the Feynman/Connection Machine prototype case study in the course pack

Week 4: Prototype — Get Smarter, Faster (3 hours live)

Session Goal
Teams build their first tangible prototypes — at the right fidelity level to answer their most critical
questions — and learn how to prototype like a physicist.

Session Timeline
Time Activity
0:00–0:15 Show & tell: teams share their homework sketches. Warm, constructive
feedback only.
0:15–0:40 Mini-lecture: Fidelity levels and when to use each. Uber international case study.
Wizard of Oz prototyping. Prototype to decide vs. teach.
0:40–1:00 Framework: What questions does your prototype need to answer? Each team
completes a 'prototype brief' (template provided)
1:00–1:10 Break
1:10–2:00 Build sprint: 50-minute hands-on prototype build time. Paper, Miro, Figma, role-
play scripts — whatever fits the fidelity needed.
2:00–2:30 Prototype showcase: each team does a 4-minute walkthrough of their prototype
and the question it's designed to answer
2:30–2:50 Peer feedback using 'I like / I wish / What if' framework
2:50–3:00 Week 5 preview: recruiting users and testing protocol design

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Key Concepts Covered

• Prototyping as a learning tool, not a delivery tool
• Matching fidelity to the question: when rough is better
• Timeboxing: how constraints produce better prototypes
• Wizard of Oz prototyping: using humans to simulate technology
• Prototype to settle arguments: getting out of the conference room

Async Homework (before Week 5)

• Finalise prototype for user testing — ensure it addresses your top 3 critical questions
• Write a test protocol: objectives, tasks for users, what you'll observe
• Recruit 3 users from outside the course for live testing in Week 5

Week 5: Test — Early and Often (3 hours live)

Session Goal
Teams test their prototypes with real users in real-time during the session, synthesise findings,
and iterate on their POV and solution direction.

Session Timeline
Time Activity
0:00–0:15 Mini-lecture: How to run a good user test. SoulCycle and MIT Tega robot case
studies. The beginner's mind in testing.
0:15–0:30 Protocol review: teams pair up and review each other's test plans. Quick
feedback round.
0:30–1:10 Live testing block 1: teams bring in their pre-recruited users via Zoom breakout
rooms. Observers take notes.
1:10–1:20 Break + quick debrief between facilitator and teams
1:20–1:55 Live testing block 2: second round of user tests or testing with peer participants
from other teams
1:55–2:30 Synthesis workshop: teams cluster observations on Miro, identify patterns, and
map findings back to their POV
2:30–2:50 Iteration planning: what would you change? Teams sketch one 'next iteration'
idea on a sticky note
2:50–3:00 Week 6 showcase briefing

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Key Concepts Covered

• 'Prototype as if you know you're right, but test as if you know you're wrong' — Stanford
[Link]
• Show don't tell: creating test conditions that mirror real-life use
• Think-aloud protocol: how to facilitate without leading
• Synthesising qualitative data: bucketing, pattern-finding, affinity mapping
• Iterating the POV: how good testing refines your problem definition, not just your solution

Week 6: Showcase & Reflection (3 hours live)

Session Goal
Teams present their end-to-end design thinking journey — from empathy findings to tested
prototype — and reflect on what they'll carry forward.

Session Timeline
Time Activity
0:00–0:10 Opening reflection: facilitator shares key patterns observed across the cohort
0:10–1:30 Team presentations: each team has 12 minutes + 5 minutes Q&A. Panels
include facilitator + 1–2 guest design practitioners.
1:30–1:45 Break
1:45–2:15 Guest panel: 2 design practitioners share how design thinking lives in their day-
to-day work
2:15–2:40 Individual reflection: participants complete the 'design thinking canvas' — what I
know, what changed, what I'll do next
2:40–2:55 Community close: next steps, alumni resources, certificate announcement
2:55–3:00 Celebration

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Part 4: Core Activities & Exercises

4.1 Empathy Interview Workshop
Purpose
Build the skill of asking open, non-leading questions to surface deep user needs — not surface-
level wants.

Format
• Pairs; 20 minutes total (8 min interview each way + 4 min debrief)
• Interviewer cannot ask 'yes/no' questions
• Interviewer must ask 'why?' or 'tell me more' at least 3 times
• Observer captures body language observations

Debrief Questions
• What surprised you about your partner's answer?
• What did they feel, not just say?
• What assumption did you have that proved wrong?

4.2 POV Madlib Exercise

Purpose
Force teams to articulate user, need, and insight separately before combining into a full POV
statement.

Template

POV Madlib Structure

[User name/description] needs a way to [verb + goal] because [surprising insight from your
research]. Alternate format: We met [user]. We were amazed to realise that [insight]. It would
change the world if [vision].

Instructions
7. Each team member writes three different POV drafts individually (5 minutes)
8. Share all drafts with the team — read aloud, no evaluation
9. Identify the words and phrases that feel most specific and surprising
10. Combine the best elements into one team POV

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11. Check against the Stanford [Link] POV checklist

4.3 30 Circles Warm-Up

Purpose
Prime the ideation mindset by practising rapid divergent thinking and overcoming the fear of a blank
page.

Instructions
12. Each participant gets a sheet with 30 blank circles (digital version available in Miro)
13. Timer: 3 minutes. Turn as many circles as possible into recognisable objects or scenes.
14. Count your completed circles. Share your most surprising or unexpected interpretation.

Debrief Questions
• Did you repeat ideas or force yourself to keep going?
• What strategies helped you move faster?
• How does this connect to brainstorming in real projects?

4.4 Dot Voting & Idea Selection

Purpose
Move from a large quantity of ideas to a prioritised shortlist without killing divergent energy.

Format
• Each participant gets 6 sticky dots (or digital equivalents in Miro): 2 red (biggest moonshot),
2 blue (most delightful), 2 green (lowest-hanging fruit)
• Silent voting: no discussion before votes are cast
• After voting: discuss the patterns. What clusters emerged? Any surprises?

4.5 'I Like / I Wish / What If' Critique

Purpose
A constructive feedback protocol that surfaces both strengths and growth areas without triggering
defensiveness.

Format

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• 'I like…' — something that is working well in the prototype or POV

• 'I wish…' — something that could be stronger, clearer, or different
• 'What if…' — a generative suggestion that opens a new direction

Rules
• No 'but' — only 'and' connects statements
• The presenting team listens and takes notes — no defending allowed during feedback
• 3 minutes of feedback per team maximum in group settings

4.6 Wizard of Oz Prototype Challenge

Purpose
Demonstrate that you can test complex experiences — including AI, automation, or service
interactions — using human stand-ins before writing a single line of code.

Instructions
15. Choose a concept that involves a 'smart' or automated element (e.g., a recommendation
engine, a chat assistant, a personalised dashboard)
16. Assign one team member as 'the wizard' — hidden from the user, manually providing the
'intelligent' responses
17. Run a 10-minute test session with a real user
18. Debrief: What did the wizard discover about what users really need? What assumptions
were wrong?

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Part 5: Evaluation & Assessment Framework

5.1 Assessment Philosophy
Design thinking is a practice, not a body of knowledge — it can't be assessed with multiple choice
tests. This course uses portfolio-based, evidence-of-thinking assessments that reward process as
much as output.

5.2 Assessment Components

Component Weight Description
Weekly reflection posts 20% Short written reflections (200–300 words) posted to LMS
after each session. Assessed on depth of insight, not
length.
Team throughline project 40% End-to-end project from empathy to tested prototype.
Assessed on quality of process documentation, not just
the final solution.
Week 6 showcase 25% Team presentation of the full design thinking journey.
presentation Assessed on clarity, evidence, and quality of iteration.
Peer assessment 15% Structured peer feedback on collaboration, contribution,
and generosity of feedback given to other teams during
the course.

5.3 Team Project Rubric

Criterion Exemplary (4) Developing (2)
Empathy depth Research surfaces non-obvious Research confirms existing
insights; evidence of multiple assumptions; single method used;
methods used; extreme users limited user diversity
included
POV quality Specific, surprising, and generative; Vague or generic; could apply to
opens multiple solution directions; any user; insight is obvious or
insight clearly derived from assumed
research
Ideation breadth Wide range of ideas including Only obvious or safe ideas
wild/unexpected ones; evidence of generated; single method used
multiple ideation methods
Prototype fit Fidelity matches the question being Over- or under-built for the
tested; clearly articulates what it's question; unclear what is being
trying to learn tested
Testing rigour Real users tested in realistic Testing was limited or with team
context; clear synthesis of findings; members; findings not clearly

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POV iterated based on evidence connected to next iteration

5.4 Facilitator Observation Checklist

Facilitators should observe and note the following during live sessions:
• Is the team asking questions or making statements in empathy sessions?
• Are participants building on each other's ideas ('Yes, and') or blocking ('Yes, but')?
• Does the POV open new solution directions, or narrow them too early?
• Are prototypes designed to learn, or designed to impress?
• Do participants show genuine curiosity in testing, or are they looking for validation?

5.5 Participant Self-Assessment (End of Course)

Participants complete a self-assessment canvas against the five course outcomes. This is not
graded — it is designed to support reflection and ongoing practice after the course ends.

Self-Assessment Prompt
Rate your confidence (1–5) in each area: 1. Conducting empathy research without leading users
2. Writing a POV that opens new solution spaces 3. Facilitating a productive brainstorming
session 4. Building a prototype that answers a specific question 5. Running a user test and
synthesising findings For any area below 3: What one action will you take in the next 30 days to
build this skill?

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Part 6: Marketing Plan

6.1 Positioning Statement
Core Positioning
Design Thinking Masterclass is the only cohort-based online course that teaches you to solve
the real problem — not the assumed one — by combining Stanford's proven [Link] framework
with hands-on practice, real user testing, and a community of peers doing the same hard work
alongside you.

6.2 Target Audiences & Messaging

Audience Segment Key Message
Product Managers 'Stop building features nobody wants. Learn to find the real problem
first.'
UX Designers 'Move from pixel-pushing to strategic influence. Lead with empathy, not
aesthetics.'
Business Leaders & 'Embed innovation thinking across your team. The same method used
Entrepreneurs by IDEO, IBM, and Stanford.'
HR / L&D Professionals 'Upskill your teams in the most in-demand problem-solving
methodology in business today.'
Educators & Facilitators 'Learn to teach design thinking the way it was designed to be taught —
by doing.'

6.3 Pricing Strategy

Tier Details
Individual (Early Bird) $497 USD — first 48 hours after launch; limited to 10 seats
Individual (Standard) $697 USD — general enrollment
Team (3–5 seats) $1,800 USD — includes team onboarding call with facilitator
Corporate (6+ seats) Custom pricing — includes custom design challenge + debrief
session with leadership
Scholarship / Pay-it-forward 2 fully funded seats per cohort for applicants from
underrepresented communities

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6.4 Launch Campaign Timeline

8 Weeks Before Open Enrollment
• Launch a free email course: '5 Days of Design Thinking' — one short activity per day.
Captures leads and delivers value before asking for purchase.
• Publish a long-form case study blog post: 'How Design Thinking Saved 3,000 Babies' — the
Embrace story
• Begin social media storytelling series: 'One insight from real designers each week'

4 Weeks Before Open Enrollment

• Host a free 90-minute live workshop: 'Your First Design Thinking Sprint' — a taster of Week
1 content
• Launch affiliate programme: invite past participants and partners to share a unique referral
link
• Email the waitlist with early-bird pricing and a 48-hour deadline

Enrollment Open (2 Weeks)

• Email sequence: day 1 (open), day 3 (social proof — testimonials and case studies), day 7
(FAQ + objection handling), day 10 (last chance warning), day 13 (cart closes tonight)
• Run retargeting ads to website visitors who did not purchase
• Post daily social content: student testimonials, behind-the-scenes course preparation, 'what
you'll be doing in Week 3'

6.5 Channel Strategy

Channel Strategy & Notes
Email list (owned) Primary sales channel. Build with lead magnet (free 5-day course). Email
at least twice per week during launch.
LinkedIn Best organic reach for B2B and professional development audience. Post
3x/week: case studies, behind-the-scenes, process insights.
Instagram / TikTok Short-form video: 'What is design thinking in 60 seconds', quick activity
demos, student stories.
Podcast appearances Pitch to UX, product management, and business innovation podcasts 6–8
weeks before launch. Offer a free listener-only bonus.
Community partnerships Partner with Design communities (ADPList, Designers' Guild), product
communities (Product Hunt, Mind the Product), and alumni networks.
Paid social Retargeting only — keep budget tight and pointed at warm audiences:
(Facebook/IG) website visitors, video viewers, email non-openers.
SEO / Content Publish 2 long-form posts per month on: 'design thinking examples', 'how
to run a design thinking workshop', 'design thinking vs agile'.

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Part 7: Ready-to-Use Marketing Content

7.1 Sales Page Copy
Headline Options (A/B test these)
• You're solving the wrong problem. Let's fix that.
• The method behind IDEO, IBM, and Stanford's most innovative teams — now a 6-week
online masterclass.
• Stop guessing. Start designing with empathy.

Sub-headline
Design Thinking Masterclass is a live, cohort-based course that teaches you Stanford's [Link]
framework through real challenges, hands-on practice, and a community that keeps you
accountable. No fluffy theory. Just tools you'll use Monday morning.

The Problem Section

Here's what most teams get wrong: they jump straight to solutions.

They brainstorm before they understand the problem. They build features before they've talked to a
single user. They assume they know what people need — and then wonder why the product fails.

Design thinking flips this. It starts with empathy. With curiosity. With a willingness to be wrong about
your assumptions — before you build anything.

What You'll Learn (Feature/Benefit format)

You'll learn to… So you can…
Conduct empathy interviews that surface Stop wasting resources on solutions people don't actually
non-obvious insights want
Write a Point of View that reframes the Open up solution spaces you never would have found
problem otherwise
Facilitate productive brainstorming Lead your team past 'safe' ideas to genuinely innovative
sessions ones
Build prototypes at the right fidelity level Test ideas in hours, not weeks — before it's expensive to
be wrong
Run user tests that produce actionable Iterate with confidence, grounded in real evidence not
insights opinions

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Social Proof Placeholder Copy

Testimonial Template (gather from beta participants)

"Before this course, I thought I knew what my users needed. Three interviews in Week 1 proved
me completely wrong — and that was the best thing that could have happened. We rebuilt our
onboarding flow from scratch and cut drop-off by 40%." — [Name], Product Manager at
[Company]

7.2 Email Sequence: Free 5-Day Design Thinking Course

Day 1: The Wrong Problem Email
Subject: The meeting that changed everything (a story about design thinking)

In 2008, Doug Dietz from GE Healthcare stood in a hospital hallway watching a 7-year-old girl weep
as she was led toward an MRI machine.

Doug had designed that machine. It had won a prestigious industrial design award. He was proud of
it.

And then he crouched down to her height — and saw what she saw. Warning stickers plastered
everywhere. Yellow and black hazard tape on the floor like a crash scene. A beige brick with a hole
in it.

He had been designing the machine. She was experiencing the room.

Doug had been solving the wrong problem.

That afternoon, he enrolled in Stanford's [Link]. Two years later, children were asking their
parents 'can we go back tomorrow?' after their MRI scans.

Today's challenge: Think of a product or process you work on. Write down the problem you believe
you're solving. Now ask: is that the real problem — or is it just the most obvious symptom?

Tomorrow we'll give you the tool that helps you find out. Talk soon.

Day 2: The Empathy Email

Subject: What your users aren't telling you (but their faces are)

Yesterday's insight: you might be solving the wrong problem.

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Today's tool: empathy research.

When IDEO was asked by Bank of America to find new ways to attract customers, they didn't run a
survey. They moved into people's homes. They sat at kitchen tables. They watched how busy
mothers managed the family budget — rounding up numbers in their chequebooks to create a small
buffer.

That single observation — a tiny behavioural habit they never would have seen in a focus group —
became the 'Keep the Change' programme. 12 million customers enrolled. Over $2 billion saved.

Today's challenge: Pick one person who uses your product or is affected by the problem you're
working on. Ask them to walk you through the last time they dealt with it. Don't ask 'what do you
want?' Ask 'what happened?' Watch what they do with their hands. Notice when they pause. Those
pauses hold the gold.

Hit reply and tell me what you noticed. I read every message.

Day 3: The POV Email

Subject: The 10-word reframe that changes everything

Here's a thought experiment.

If Netflix had framed their problem as 'Caroline needs a way to rent DVDs without leaving her
house' — they probably would have built a mail-delivery service. A fine business.

But they didn't. They framed it as 'Caroline needs a way to access entertainment at her own pace,
discover new content, and share what she loves with friends.'

Streaming. Original content. Recommendation algorithms. Social virality.

Same person. Same need. Completely different solution space — because of 10 different words.

Today's challenge: Take the problem statement you wrote on Day 1. Rewrite it using this format:
'[User] needs a way to [goal] because [insight].' Focus the 'because' on the most surprising thing
you observed or heard. Now notice what new solutions become possible.

Day 4 & 5 Summary

• Day 4: Ideate — 'The astronauts didn't brainstorm their way to the moon. They followed a
process.' Introduce HMW questions and the 30 circles warm-up.

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• Day 5: Prototype & pitch — 'Build ugly on purpose.' Introduce the concept of minimum viable
prototypes, the Wizard of Oz technique, and an invitation to join the full masterclass with
early-bird pricing.

7.3 LinkedIn Post Templates

Post 1: Story-driven (best for reach)
A team in Nepal. A premature baby. A near-impossible design brief.

When Stanford students were challenged to prevent infant hypothermia in remote villages, they
started — like most teams — with an obvious solution: cheaper incubators.

Then one team member toured a hospital in Nepal and noticed something strange.

The incubators were empty.

Because the babies weren't at the hospital. They were 30 miles away on unpaved roads, in homes
without reliable electricity, with parents who had no hope of reaching a clinic in time.

The team had been solving the wrong problem.

So they went back to the people. They interviewed mothers, village shopkeepers, healthcare
workers. They prototyped a tiny heated sleeping bag — the Embrace warmer — that worked with
hot water when electricity wasn't available.

The temperature indicator was redesigned because mothers were only heating it halfway (they
thought Western medicine should be halved). The solution became something that worked in the
real world — not just in a lab.

Over 3,000 babies have been helped.

Design thinking doesn't start with ideas. It starts with curiosity about people.

What problem are you assuming you understand? ↓

Post 2: Insight post (best for engagement)

Most brainstorms fail for one simple reason:

The loudest person in the room wins.

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IDEO's solution? Start every brainstorm with 5 minutes of silent, individual ideation — before
anyone shares a single idea.

Why? Because when the first idea is spoken aloud, it anchors everyone else's thinking. The room
narrows. Safety wins.

When you write silently first, you get diversity. Ten people, ten directions. Then when you share,
you're building on a genuinely varied landscape — not converging on the first thing someone said.

Try it in your next meeting. 5 minutes. Phones down. Everyone writes. Then share.

What do you notice? I'd love to hear.

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Part 8: Delivery Tools & Tech Stack

8.1 Recommended Tools
Function Recommended Tool(s)
Live sessions Zoom (Webinar for large groups; Meeting for interactive cohorts under 30)
Virtual whiteboard Miro (essential) — pre-build a Miro board template for each week
LMS / course hub Teachable, Thinkific, or Circle (community-first option)
Async video Loom — for facilitator intros, assignment walkthroughs, participant
reflections
Email marketing ConvertKit or ActiveCampaign — tag-based automation for launch
sequence
Scheduling Calendly for 1:1 office hours and team check-ins
Prototyping Figma (digital), POP / Marvel (paper-to-digital), InVision (interactive)
Surveys & evaluation Typeform — end-of-week pulse surveys, post-course NPS
Certificate Accredible or Canva — design a beautiful, shareable certificate

8.2 Weekly Miro Board Template Structure

• Zone 1: Warm-up / icebreaker activity
• Zone 2: Lecture reference material (key frameworks, case study images)
• Zone 3: Team work area (one sub-section per team, colour-coded)
• Zone 4: Gallery wall (for sharing outputs across teams)
• Zone 5: Reflection / exit ticket

8.3 Facilitator Prep Checklist

Run through this checklist 48 hours before each live session:
19. Miro board for the session is complete and tested on multiple devices
20. Breakout rooms pre-configured in Zoom (rooms named by team)
21. Slide deck reviewed and timed — no session should go over 3 hours
22. Guest speakers briefed and tested on tech setup
23. Async homework from previous week reviewed — any common patterns to address?
24. Weekly pulse survey data reviewed — any participants who seem disengaged?
25. Slack/community check — any questions that need addressing before the session?

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Appendix: Quick Reference — Design Thinking Cheat

Sheet

Phase Key Questions to Ask

Empathize What do users do (not just say)? What do they feel? What are their
workarounds? Who are the extreme users?
Define What is the user's deep unmet need? What insight drives this need? Does our
POV open new solutions or close them down?
Ideate How might we [POV]? What's the wild idea? What if we removed a key
constraint? What would the opposite look like?
Prototype What question does this prototype need to answer? What is the minimum fidelity
to answer it? What will we observe?
Test Are we testing as if we know we're wrong? What are we observing (not just
hearing)? How does this change our POV?

Design thinking is not a linear process — it is a flexible, iterative system. Expect to move between
phases. Expect to redefine your POV after testing. Expect your best ideas to come after your worst
ones.

Prototype as if you know you're right. Test as if you know you're wrong.
— Stanford [Link]

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