ET 102: Entrepreneurship Basic: Design Thinking
This course provides students the opportunity to learn and apply design thinking processes in the entrepreneurial environment. Topics include design thinking tools, focus on customer-centered design, and business needs, including prototyping, product life-cycles, production planning, and explaining products to customers and stakeholders.
When the course is completed you will be able to:
- Apply Design Thinking methods to improve existing products or design new products.
- Identify customer needs and measure product effectiveness based on those needs.
- Use customer-centered thinking in each application of the design thinking process.
- Understand the product life-cycle in the context of product design and iteration.
- Examine the fundamentals of production and develop production plans.
- Evaluate pitch methods for new or improved product concepts to customers and stakeholders.
Instruction Material are in Canvas Course Room
Grade Scales
A = 90% - 100%
B = 80% - 89%
C = 70% - 79%
D = 60% - 69%
F = below 60%
Module 1: Introduction to Design Thinking
Why Design Thinking - success and failures, keys to design thinking.
Exercise: Design Thinking Reflection
Discussion: Students will reflect on a personal or observed design thinking experience, identifying key successes and failures.
Knowledge and Progress Checks
Module 2: Design Thinking Tools
Inspiration, ideation, and implementation. Ideation exercises such as Top Five, How
Might We, Mash-up, and Co-Creation Session.
Exercise: Ideation Techniques Presentation
Assignment: Students will create a PowerPoint presentation detailing various ideation techniques and how they can be applied to entrepreneurial projects.
Knowledge and Progress Checks
Module 3: Understanding Customer Needs
Identify customer needs and customer-centric design. Create customer needs statements.
Exercise: Customer Needs Analysis Report
Assignment: Students will conduct a customer needs analysis for a specific product or service, including interviews and surveys to gather customer insights.
Knowledge and Progress Checks
Module 4: Turning Customer Needs into Specifications
How to measure fulfillment of customer needs and transform them into product specifications.
Exercise: Product Specification Development
Assignment: Students will develop product specifications based on identified customer needs and create a document outlining the measures of fulfillment.
Knowledge and Progress Checks
Module 5: Design Processes and Creativity
Applied creativity in the design process. Explore various stages and techniques.
Exercise: Design Process Mapping
Assignment: Students will map out a design process for a new or existing product, highlighting stages of creativity and problem-solving methods.
Knowledge and Progress Checks
Module 6: Prototyping and Design Iteration
Methods, plans, and design cycles for prototyping.
Exercise: Prototyping Plan
Assignment: Students will create a prototyping plan for a product, including iteration methods and design cycles. They will outline steps for testing and feedback.
Knowledge and Progress Checks
Module 7: Designing Services
The fundamentals of designing services and how they differ from product design.
Exercise: Service Design Blueprint
Assignment: Students will develop a blueprint for designing a service, focusing on customer interaction, service delivery, and user experience.
Knowledge and Progress Checks
Module 8: Designing for Brand/Tribe/Lifestyle
Designing products and services that align with brand identity and customer lifestyles.
Exercise: Lifestyle Brand Strategy
Assignment: Students will develop a strategy for creating a brand that aligns with a specific lifestyle or tribe, including brand messaging and marketing approaches.
Knowledge and Progress Checks
Module 9: Product Life-Cycles
Listening to the customer and observing how they use the product. Understanding the product life-cycle.
Exercise: Product Life-Cycle Analysis
Assignment: Students will analyze the life-cycle of an existing product, focusing on how customer feedback and behavior influence product iterations.
Knowledge and Progress Checks
Module 10: Product Development Plans
From paper to production. Creating comprehensive product development plans and financial projections.
Exercise: Product Development and Financial Plan
Assignment: Students will create a comprehensive product development plan, including production steps, financial projections, and resource allocation.
Knowledge and Progress Checks
Module 11: Pitching the Product
How to explain and pitch new products to customers and stakeholders.
Exercise: Product Pitch Video
Assignment: Students will record a video pitching their product to potential customers or stakeholders, focusing on communication, persuasion, and clarity.
Knowledge and Progress Checks
Emails will be responded to no later than 48 hours or by the end of business on Monday for mail received over the weekend.
Academic Honesty Policy
The college has a firm policy against academic dishonesty, including cheating or plagiarism. Students guilty of academic dishonesty will be administratively dropped from the course with a grade of ‘F’ and subject to disciplinary action, which may include suspension and dismissal.
Please refer to the Academic Honesty Policy for detailed information.
Late Assignment Policy
Meeting deadlines, being dependable, and applying appropriate time management are all foundational elements of professional behavior. These same attributes are also required while participating in college courses because the skills, knowledge, and student learning outcomes must be obtained in a specific order and within a certain amount of time.
We at HJC understand that sometimes students encounter circumstances that make it difficult to always meet the required course deadlines. This Late Work Policy is in place to accommodate that. In all circumstances, whenever possible, contact your instructor when you anticipate that you will be submitting work late.
The deadlines for most courses typically follow the pattern below, but it is your responsibility to confirm this and be aware if there are any assignments that may have different deadlines for one reason or another.
The first post in each Discussion Board is usually due on the Wednesday night of each module/week.
Most other assignments are due by 11:59 pm on Sunday evening of each module/week.
- All assignments must be submitted by the required due date.
- Missing assignments due to absence must be submitted within 1 week of return.
- Late submissions of assignments will result in a reduction of 10% of the total points possible per day (e.g., 1 day late = -10%, 2 days late = 20%, etc.) up to one week. Anything over 1 week late will result in a grade of 0.
- To receive full credit for late work, students must provide documentation for an excused absence, or it will be subject to the same treatment as any other late work. Documentation examples include court documents, hospitalization, etc.
Instructors may also choose to deduct less points at their discretion.
If for some reason a student temporarily loses the ability to connect to Canvas due to technical issues it is the student’s obligation to submit assignments by the original due dates. Temporary remedies can be connecting via a public WiFi spot, using school facilities to connect, or use of private networks through friends and family.
In extreme cases, when none of these solutions are available, the student may contact their instructors through other means and ask permission to submit their work directly, in a method that can be received by the instructor. Under no circumstances can methods of delivery outside of Canvas be used without explicit instructor permission. (If this ever happens the instructor should somehow note it).
Minimum Technology Requirements
Having access to a reliable desktop or laptop is required for HJC online courses. This requirement ensures students have the essential technologies to complete online courses successfully. Mobile devices, such as mobile phones and tablets may be utilized as additional tools to assist with completing online courses.
Online video conferences and calls are often the best way for instructors to assist students in many situations. A web camera and microphone are necessary for successful online conferences.
Safari and Chrome: Office 365 is designed to work with the current version of the Safari and Chrome browsers. Microsoft Edge: Office 365 is designed to work with the latest version of the Microsoft Edge browser.
Internet Explorer: Office 365 is designed to work with Internet Explorer 11. We recommend that you upgrade to Internet Explorer 11 if you are using an earlier version. Office might continue to work with versions of Internet Explorer other than Internet Explorer 11, but Office can’t provide any guarantees.
Firefox: Most Office 365 apps are designed to work with the current version of Firefox.
Some courses may have additional technology requirements beyond those listed here. Additional requirements will be listed in your Canvas course room.
Basic Office 365 apps are free and available to students with their HJC Outlook account. For additional questions and help with the required technologies, please contact help@hjc.edu
Minimum Technical Skills Requirements
To complete online courses successfully, you must be able to perform the following basic technical skills before starting the class
- Use the learning management system, Canvas
- Use HJC email with attachments
- Download, save, and upload files in Canvas
For additional questions regarding the required technologies, please contact help@hjc.edu
Technology Support
To be a successful online learner, certain technologies are necessary. Please keep in mind that certain classes may have additional technical requirements. You should be able to find additional technical requirements in your syllabus or your canvas course room. If you have any questions about the technology requirement, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 304-697-7550 or support@hjc.edu
Accessibility Information
Huntington Junior College is committed to full compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. For additional information, please access accessibility policy. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at 304-697-7550 or pjustice@hjc.edu if you have any additional questions.
Copyright Policy
As an institution of higher education, Huntington Junior College strongly believes in intellectual property. As such, Huntington Junior College respects intellectual property and has made it a priority to ensure all employees and students respect the copyrights of others. If you have any questions about our copyright policy, please access the copyright policy.
Privacy Policy
The college understands the importance of protecting your information and privacy. Our Privacy Policy provides additional information on the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act.
Other Student Success Services
Please access Student Success page for other student success services information, such as financial aid, lab hours, parking, library, transcripts, and career services on the college
If you need to speak with a person regarding any college policies and guidelines, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the college at 304-697-7550
This information is standard for each course but specifics may vary based on the delivery method of the course you are taking. Please follow the information provided by your instructor.
This syllabus is subject to change.