Design Thinking is a human-centered innovation approach that helps teams understand real user needs, challenge assumptions and develop meaningful solutions. This hands-on training is designed for participants who want to go beyond a first introduction and actively apply Design Thinking methods in practice. Over one and a half days, participants work through the Design Thinking process in a structured way and learn how to use key methods with confidence. The course focuses on practical application, collaboration and reflection. Participants work on an easy, relatable, non-technical challenge to fully focus on mindset, methods and collaboration. They gain a deeper understanding of how to identify user needs, frame problems and develop meaningful solutions. Short theory inputs are combined with extensive group work, ensuring immediate application and transfer to everyday work contexts.
The training is structured as an interactive Design Thinking process. After revisiting the
mindset and principles, participants work in small teams on a concrete challenge.
Step by step, they go through the key phases of the process:
• Understanding the problem
• Developing a user perspective
• Generating ideas
• Building simple low-fidelity prototypes
• Testing ideas
They practice understanding user needs, synthesizing insights and clearly defining problem statements.
Participants then move into ideation and prototyping phases, where ideas are developed, refined and made tangible. Throughout the workshop, reflection moments help connect the methods to participants’ own work contexts. The setting encourages experimentation, collaboration and learning by doing, creating a strong foundation for applying Design Thinking beyond the training.
After the training, participants will be able to:
• Confidently apply the Design Thinking process
• Select and use appropriate methods for each phase
• Develop clear, user-centered problem definitions
• Generate, structure and evaluate ideas
• Build and use prototypes to explore solutions
• Transfer Design Thinking methods into their daily work
Stefan Thomann is an experienced innovation facilitator and lecturer with a strong focus on Design Thinking, innovation processes and future skills. With a hands-on and practice-oriented approach, the coach supports participants in translating theory into action. The training style is interactive, structured and approachable, creating an inspiring learning environment that encourages curiosity, experimentation and reflection.
