Design Thinking and Cognition

Catalog description

Design thinking refers to the cognitive, strategic, and practical processes involved in problem solving and creation of innovative design concepts, which can lead to the development of new products and to aid scientific exploration. Several key concepts and aspects of design thinking have been pinpointed through studies of design cognition, focusing on understanding of how designers think when they are trying to find creative and original solutions for vague, ill-defined problems. Currently, cognitive neuroscientists are becoming increasingly interested in identified brain mechanisms of design thinking. This course focuses on the principles, processes, and scientific underpinnings of design thinking and their applications to real-life innovative problem solving.