Design Thinking for Sustainable Development

Course objective: 

The Sustainable Development Goals are ambitious. Addressing them will require creativity, innovation and new approaches. Design thinking is human centered, iterative, and encourages us to step out of our typical modes of thinking. This course provides an introduction to design thinking for sustainable development. Participants will gain an introduction to the design thinking process, methods, tools, and mindsets, and will experience and reflect on them through application to a real sustainable development challenge. Participants will also learn from case studies that have effectively used design thinking and discuss where and how the methods can be applied to sustainable development initiatives.

Key topics:

• The iterative design thinking process
• Design thinking tools and methods – theory and practical application
• Case studies of sustainable development projects that have used a design thinking approach
• Where and how design thinking can be applied to sustainable development initiatives
• Design thinking mindset

Duration: 26/05–28/05/2025

Teaching format: Classroom

ECTS points: 2

Examination:
The assessment will be a combination of group work completed during the course, and a short-written assignment. The written assignment will be distributed during the course, and due two weeks after the course completion.

Course fee: CHF 570
 

Lecturers:

• Jasmine Neve, NADEL (coordination)
• Guest lecturers

For more information please visit nadel.ethz.ch

Registration starts 4th of November 2024.

Photo credit: Adobe Stock/Igor