Design Thinking for Data-Driven App Development
An experiential journey into empathy-led product design, bridging the gap between human-centered needs and functional data-driven prototypes.
This experiential course focuses on an empathy-first approach to solving real-world business problems. By combining the “Karmic Design Thinking” framework with agile-inspired workflows, students learn to transition from observing user behavior to building functional mockups. The curriculum emphasizes the entire product lifecycle: from persona creation and “How Might We” brainstorming to low-code prototyping and intellectual property fundamentals. Through multiple project iterations (P1, P2, and P3), students master the art of uncovering deep user insights, applying inventive principles, and delivering persuasive pitches to stakeholders.
Instructors
- Dr. Bala Ramadurai, Author and Innovation Consultant
- Prof. Prathap Haridoss, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IIT Madras
Course Schedule & Topics
The course is structured over 12 weeks, revolving around three iterative project phases (P1–P3) that move from empathy to launch.
| Week | Primary Focus | Key Topics Covered |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intro & Foundation | Design of Everyday Things, Project Management, and Course Outline. |
| 2 | Empathy Phase (P1) | Persona Creation, Customer Journey Mapping, and the Design Paradox. |
| 3 | Problem Definition (P1) | Root problem identification and formulating “How Might We” questions. |
| 4 | Analytical Tools (P1) | The Multi-Why technique, identifying Conflicts of Interest, and problem demos. |
| 5 | Ideation & Concept (P1) | Silent brainstorming, Inventive Principles, and initial concept creation. |
| 6 | Testing & Digital Marketing | Field trials, validating assumptions, and basics of Digital Marketing. |
| 7 | UX & Prototyping | Website Design, User Experience (UX) principles, and development of prototypes. |
| 8 | IP & Analysis (P2) | Advanced analysis and introduction to Patents, Copyrights, and IP. |
| 9 | Pitching & Presentation | Presentation skills for pitching to customers, investors, and stakeholders. |
| 10 | Feedback Loops (P3) | Obtaining deep insights and feedback from target users/customers. |
| 11 | Human Factors | Analyzing human-centric design constraints and ergonomic factors. |
| 12 | Launch & Innovation | App Launch strategies, Intrapreneurship, and scaling innovation. |
Material used
-
Karmic Design Thinkingby Dr. Bala Ramadurai -
The Design of Everyday Thingsby Don Norman