Design Thinking Mastery™
Design Thinking Course Features
SUBJECT
Design Thinking
DURATION
2 Days
CERTIFICATION
ILM-Recognised
TRAINER
Nicholas C. Hill FCMI FIoL FIC
PARTICIPANTS
Leaders and Managers
DELIVERY
Open Scheduled • 1-2-1 • In-House Tailored
FORMAT
Classroom • Virtual Classroom • Hybrid
MATERIALS
Hard Copy Workbooks • Digital Workbooks
Instructor-Led Design Thinking Training
Master Trainer Nicholas Hill
Nicholas C. Hill FCMI FIoL FIC is a seasoned master trainer and the creator of 68 ILM-Recognised courses. His training is high-impact and results-driven, presented in classroom and virtual classroom formats. Since 1996, he has delivered training for over 700 organisations, leading to team improvements of up to 234% in performance, 136% in efficiency, and 104% in productivity.
Design Thinking Course Summary
Module 1
Design Thinking Foundations
Module 2
User-Centric Research
Module 3
Identifying Problems
Module 4
Ideation Techniques
Module 5
Engineering Prototypes
Module 6
Testing and Iteration
Module 7
Implementing Solutions
Module 8
Design Thinking Culture
Participant Challenges
You often feel trapped in processes that lack innovation and struggle to find practical solutions that meet real user needs. Ideas stall in meetings, and creative energy fades before solutions take shape. Your team feels uninspired, recycling outdated methods instead of driving fresh results. Misaligned efforts, low engagement, and unmet expectations build frustration. You see opportunities slipping away as competitors innovate faster and with more impact. Cross-functional collaboration feels forced or ineffective, and your initiatives fail to gain traction. Without immediate change, you risk normalising stagnation, eroding team morale, and falling behind in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
Course Objectives
Designed and delivered by Nicholas Hill Academy Ltd, this course equips you to think creatively, identify real problems, and generate meaningful solutions that drive progress. You adopt a user-centred mindset, gain clarity in complex challenges, and inspire innovation across your team. Ideas become practical, feedback becomes fuel, and progress becomes measurable. Your team collaborates more effectively, shares ownership of solutions, and delivers outcomes that matter. Your organisation benefits from increased agility, improved user experience, and a culture that embraces change. You lead with clarity, confidence, and creativity. Long term, you embed innovation into your leadership and unlock a lasting competitive advantage.
Day One
Cultivating Design Thinking™
Module 1: Design Thinking Foundations
Outcomes
• Understand the origins and evolution of design thinking to appreciate its foundations • Recognise the importance and impact of design thinking to leverage it in your work • Identify the key principles of a design thinking mindset to adopt a user-centric approach
Syllabus
Innovation Theory, Design Principles, Problem-Solving Frameworks, Creative Confidence, User-Centric Mindset, Empathy Mapping, Divergent Thinking, Convergent Thinking, Systemic Approach, Iterative Process, Visual Thinking, Cognitive Bias, Solution-Orientation
Module 2: User-Centric Research
Outcomes
• Engage stakeholders to incorporate their needs and perspectives into the design process • Explore user research methods and data collection to gather comprehensive statistics • Synthesise research findings into actionable insights to make better-informed designs
Syllabus
Needs Analysis, Stakeholder Engagement, User Profiling, Qualitative Analysis, Quantitative Analysis, Data Collection, User Personas, Ethnographic Research, Journey Mapping, Contextual Inquiry, Heuristic Evaluation, Pain Points, Insight Synthesis, Focus Groups
Module 3: Identifying Problems
Outcomes
• Evaluate your user needs and problems accurately to understand their challenges • Emphasise the importance of a clear problem statement to guide your design processes • Delve into the root causes of your problems and frame them using a solvable context
Syllabus
Problem Framing, Root Cause Analysis, Challenge Identification, Problem Statements, Problem Decomposition, Contextual Factors, Constraint Analysis, User Needs Analysis, Scenario Planning, Opportunity Mapping, Gap Analysis, Feasibility Assessment
Module 4: Ideation Techniques
Outcomes
• Generate innovative ideas to address your user needs by exploring ideation techniques • Know the principles of effective brainstorming to encourage team idea generation • Evaluate and select the best ideas to provide viable solutions to user problems
Syllabus
Brainstorming Techniques, Idea Generation, Lateral Thinking, Mind Mapping, Conceptual Blending, Rapid Prototyping, Brainwriting, Six Thinking Hats, Scenario Analysis, Reverse Brainstorming, Forced Connections, Random Input, Storyboarding, Blue Ocean
Day Two
Implementing Design Thinking™
Module 5: Engineering Prototypes
Outcomes
• Understand the role of prototyping in design thinking to visualise and test your ideas • Utilise different prototyping methods and tools to create functional models • Create low-fidelity and high-fidelity prototypes to develop various conceptual types
Syllabus
Prototyping Tools, Wireframing, Low-Fidelity Models, High-Fidelity Models, Interactive Mockups, Material Selection, CAD Modeling, MVP Design, Simulation Testing, Feedback Loops, Virtual Prototyping, Usability Testing, Functional Modeling, Concept Testing
Module 6: Testing and Iteration
Outcomes
• Conduct user tests and gather feedback to improve and optimise your designs • Refine solutions through multiple testing cycles to ensure they are practical and usable • Prioritise design improvements to impact user satisfaction and product effectiveness
Syllabus
Usability Metrics, User Testing, Feedback Collection, A/B Testing, Test Planning, Iteration Cycles, Validation Techniques, Failure Analysis, Improvement Tracking, User Experience (UX), Human-Centred Evaluation, Field Testing, Pilot Testing, Feedback Analysis
Module 7: Implementing Solutions
Outcomes
• Implement design thinking solutions in your organisation to drive team innovation • Apply design thinking principles to support your organisational change initiatives • Develop a roadmap for scaling and sustaining design thinking over the long term
Syllabus
Solution Deployment, Innovation Adoption, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Process Integration, Risk Mitigation, Strategic Alignment, Outcome Measurement, Scaling Strategies, Communication Planning, Team Coordination, Workflow Optimisation, Success Metrics
Module 8: Design Thinking Culture
Outcomes
• Include design thinking principles in your culture to build an innovative environment • Foster design thinking in your team members to enhance problem-solving capabilities • Embed design thinking into your processes to sustain continual team improvement
Syllabus
Cultural Transformation, Mindset Shift, Organisational Innovation, Creative Empowerment, Collaboration Practices, Ideation Ecosystem, Learning Environment, Psychological Needs, Adaptive Capacity, Process Embedding, Innovation Mindset, Knowledge Sharing
Design Thinking Training Delivery
Open Scheduled Course
Develop Your Skills
Enjoy powerful and cost-effective learning and development from the comfort of your home or office. Benefit from our practical and relevant training content while interacting with our master trainer and like-minded delegates from other industries.
- Leaders and Managers
- 2 Days
- Virtual Classroom
1-2-1 Tailored Course
Master Your Skills
Solve your workplace problems in private and in confidence. Receive undivided personal attention and explore modules tailored to your needs. Schedule the training to suit your pace and calendar, then watch your knowledge and skills go through the roof.
- Management Level Tailored
- 2 Days • 4 Half Days • 8 Quarter Days
- Classroom • Virtual Classroom
In-House Tailored Course
Develop Your Team
Engage in team building and develop unity through shared goals that align your team’s thinking and behaviour. We facilitate your team discussions and tailor our modules, timings, and delivery style to your organisational vision, mission, and culture.
- Management Level Tailored
- 2 Days • 4 Half Days • 8 Quarter Days
- Classroom • Virtual Classroom
Design Thinking Open Courses
Included Materials
- Certificate of Achievement
- Digital Interactive Workbooks
- Professional Leader Subscription
- Pre-Course Diagnostic Consultation
- Post-Course Results Consultation
- Post-Course Email Mentoring
Optional Materials
- ILM-Recognised Certificate
- Hard Copy Workbooks
- Hard Copy Leadership Journal
- Leadership Principles Merchandise
- Leadership Style Mapping
- Post-Course Leadership Coaching
Course Features
- Master Trainer
- 2 Days Training
- 09:00 - 17:00 GMT/BST
- Leaders and Managers
- 5 Delegates Capacity
- Virtual Classroom
Time Remaining
- 00Days
- 00Hrs
- 00Mins
- 00Secs
Start
15 May, 2025
End
22 Sep, 2025
- Design Thinking Mastery
- 04 Places Remaining
£895
+VAT PER DELEGATE
Design Thinking Course Reviews
"Nicholas Hill is a very knowledgeable and passionate coach and trainer!"
M. Sunderland Operations Directo Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner
"This course was too advanced for me, but it helped me to manage my time."
N. Brydon, Food and Beverage Manager The Elvetham Hotel Ltd
"Following your training, we are now turning around our business performance."
A. Panatti Sales Director Finish Creative Ltd
"The results achieved in this training are above and beyond what I was expecting."
S. Baker Managing Director Merritt & Baker Consultancy Ltd
"You positively changed my attitude toward leadership and management."
J. Mears General Manager Integrated Pathology Partnerships Ltd
"Outstanding and excellent feedback from our 42 delegates over four years."
O. Klochkova Chief Operations Officer Playson Ltd