Design Thinking for Enhancing Strategy Formulation

This course is suitable for frontline, supervisory professionals, managers, executives, and business leaders who are:

• Seeking to Innovate: If you want to drive innovation within your team or organization.
• Aiming to Enhance Problem-Solving Skills: If you are looking to improve your ability to solve complex business problems.
• Eager to Lead Change: If you aspire to lead strategic initiatives that require a fresh, user-centred perspective.

1. Able to understand and speak English at a proficiency level equivalent to the Employment Skills System Workplace Literacy (WPL) Level 4.

2. Applicants should ideally possess at least a GCE ‘N’ Level qualification or its equivalent. However, those with relevant work experience may also be considered on a case-by-case basis.

• You will be introduced to relevant concepts in design thinking and business strategy, and why a human-centred approach is beneficial for business strategy formulation.
• You will learn different tools and methods to understand stakeholders with a view to gaining actionable insights.
• You will learn how to use more creative and visual ways to identify and frame key questions that arise from the stakeholder analysis and understanding.
• You will learn to generate ideas creatively rather than restrictively using Design Thinking tools and approaches.
• You will learn to turn ideas into prototypes for testing and feedback from stakeholders to increase the chances of success.

The curriculum is organised to facilitate the step-by-step sequencing method that enables you to build knowledge progressively, starting with basic principles and advancing through stakeholder analysis, problem framing, idea generation and solution testing.

1. Introduction to Design Thinking and its relevance to Business Strategy: The course begins with an introduction to the fundamental concepts of design thinking and its relevance to business strategy. This foundational knowledge prepares you for more complex topics subsequently.
2. Stakeholder’s Needs Interpretation and Insight: Learning different tools and methods to understand stakeholders with a view to gaining actionable insights. This is crucial for understanding the real-world context in which design thinking is applied.
3. Identifying & Framing Problems/Opportunities: Learning how to use more creative and visual ways to identify and frame key questions that arise from the stakeholder analysis and understanding. This stage requires critical thinking and sets the stage for generating solutions.
4. Generating Ideas: Once problems are clearly defined, you will engage in generating innovative ideas, applying tools and techniques to come up with viable solutions creatively rather than restrictively using Design Thinking tools and approaches.
5. Testing and Implementation of Ideas: The final stage involves learning to turn ideas into prototypes for testing and feedback from stakeholders to increase the chances of success. This stage consolidates all learning and emphasizes real-world application and iterative improvement.

• Explaining the key concepts of Design Thinking.
• Differentiating between the role and benefits of Design Thinking in business strategy formulation.
• Describing the traits of an effective Design Thinker.
• Interpreting stakeholder needs using appropriate Design Thinking tools and methods.
• Applying Design Thinking methodologies to gather actionable insights from stakeholders.
• Using creative methods to identify and frame problems based on stakeholder analysis.
• Identifying opportunities for applying Design Thinking within the organisation.
• Generating innovative ideas using Design Thinking tools and techniques.
• Utilising metrics to benchmark and measure the outcomes of generated ideas.
• Producing prototypes to test ideas and gather feedback from stakeholders.
• Implementing plans to embed Design Thinking within the organisation.
• Applying effective communication techniques to present design outcomes to stakeholders.

Ebenezer Heng

Ebenezer Heng is an experienced corporate trainer with 13 years of expertise. He partners with NACE on workplace learning consultations to optimise manpower, while independently delivering impactful training programmes for major clients like SIA, Ritz-Carlton, NEA, Marriott Group and the FHA Conference. A dedicated educator, Heng teaches design thinking at Temasek Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic and the University of West London, while tailoring design thinking workshops for the People’s Association and NECDC’s Heart Bakers.