What are the Foundations?

We offer a methodological basic program in Design Thinking (Foundations). This eight-week methodology teaches you the essential elements and principles of Design Thinking. Our program closes the gap between different disciplines. While during your regular studies, you usually only get to know fellow students from this subject or similar areas, at the HPI d-school, you work in multidisciplinary teams.

How can I take part in the Foundations?

Applications for the Foundations for Design Thinking program are open to enrolled students from all academic disciplines at universities and colleges. No prior experience in Design Thinking is required, as all essential knowledge and methods will be taught during the program.

How many students are accepted per semester?

We offer a maximum of 40 places in the Foundations program. The program takes place on-site at the HPI d-school.

How much time do I have to invest in the program?

Foundations of Design Thinking, approx. 180 hrs total (120 hrs onsite + 60 hrs independent work) You can download the descriptions of the scope of the individual courses and the semester overviews with the planned times directly in the respective courses. Most of the courses take place on-site at the HPI d-school. You can find details in the semester overviews. You can find an overview of the current courses on our page about the Design Thinking Academic Program.

What financial contribution do I have to make for the Foundations?

Participation is free of charge for students of the Hasso-Plattner-Institut and the University of Potsdam. Enrolled Students from other universities and colleges are required to pay a processing fee of 100 €. If you change your mind, a refund of the fees is only possible if you cancel your registration by the deadline on the first day of the program. This applies to all programs with fees (Foundations and Global Design Thinking Workshops).

How do I receive credit points (ECTS) for my participation in the Foundations?

As a student participant in our programs, you will not only receive a unique experience but also a digital certificate and a proof of achievement (ECTS). The Foundations program is worth 6 credit points (ECTS). The recognition of credits and grades depends on the study and examination regulations of your home university. We recommend that you check with your examination office in advance to find out whether recognition is possible.

Is attendance mandatory?

The program is a 100% on-site program. To receive a certificate and 6 ECTS points, regular, on-time, physical attendance on all program days is required. Participants may have up to two (2) absences due to private or professional reasons or unexpected illness. More than two absences will result in an individual consultation with the program team. Repeated absences or lateness may lead to not receiving a certificate.

Learn Design Thinking in our Foundations program

Overview

Build a solid foundation in Design Thinking and put your skills into practice in a real-world project.

This 20-day course offers enrolled students at universities and colleges the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in Design Thinking. You will learn mindsets, tools, and methods, guided by experienced coaches. Working in an interdisciplinary team, you will apply the approach to a real-world challenge from one of our project partners and strengthen your creative confidence.

Program update:

This program will not be offered in the winter semester. Please check our website for other student programs and current learning opportunities at HPI d-school.

Key Facts

Language

English

Is this program for me?

Are you new to Design Thinking and eager to explore it through practical experience? Would you like to gain a method alongside your studies that helps guide innovation processes towards human-centered solutions?

If so, this applied foundational course with a hands-on project is perfect for you.

ECTS points

You can complete the course with 6 ECTS points.

Program includes

You will receive a digital certificate from a renowned Design Thinking school with a description of the achievements.
You receive an individual performance record.
You get creditable ECTS points for a certified additional course of study.

Book your place

Foundations for Design Thinking

Date

On request

Date

On request

Duration

20 days (9:00am to 5:00pm)

Languages

English

Format

In Person

Place

Hasso-Plattner-Institut
Campus II
August-Bebel-Str. 88
14482 Potsdam
Link to Location

Contact & Advice Send me a reminder

Objectives

Experience how to build a successful team: Develop skills to form and collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary design team.
Learn Design Thinking mindets and tools by applying them on a real-world challenge
Engage with your user: learn various research and observation techniques to uncover user needs
Learn how to convert data into insights and how to interpret it
Learn what is important in brainstorming and how to generate innovative ideas
Develop tangible prototypes and test them with the user
What to do with feedback? How to receive it and use it to iterate your solution

How will completing FDT complement my IT skills?

Move beyond “fastest = best”: Learn how to pause, explore multiple approaches, and find smarter solutions instead of just quicker ones.
Learn that less talking and more doing – through experiments and iterations – will move you much further, much faster
Gain a proven method to tackle complex, messy problems – by breaking them into manageable pieces and building confidence in solving them step by step.
Learn how to talk to users to better understand their real needs, so you can design IT solutions that actually get adopted.
Work with students from business, design, humanities and many, many other fields – just like in the real world – and practice bridging the “tech vs. non-tech” language gap.
Get better at interpreting data by asking why instead of stopping at what the data says, leading to deeper insights and better decisions.
Build and test prototypes quickly, and use real feedback to improve your ideas – the same skills tech companies use to innovate fast.
Discover creative brainstorming techniques to generate more original solutions than you thought possible.

How are these skills useful in light of AI and changing professional roles?

AI is a powerful tool, but it’s only a tool in the hands of a person who is still in charge of it. Following the mantra of IT/data people: “garbage in = garbage out”. To use a full potential of AI you need be a good communicator, to clearly explain what you need from the LLM. In your work with AI, you also need to be creative. A simple prompt will give you a simple answer; you also need to challenge the AI to get more from it, and this is where you can use your creativity.
FDT will teach you critical thinking, so you don’t take for granted what the machine is deliverying you. You will learn how to ask critical questions and dig deeper so you can uncover the actual deep reasoning for people’s needs and behaviours; skills that can be easily transferred to your ‘conversations’ with an AI, so can get more out of it.
FDT is human centered, it puts human/person/user in the centre. The skills you learn during FDT will teach you the soft/human skills: empathy, communication, and reflection, which make us human as opposed to a machine.
The human skills you gain during this course will make you a better team player, who can listen, negotiate, and is open to feedback, skills which no AI will teach you.

Why should I invest so much time for “just” 6 ECTS and a certificate?

You will get 6 ECTS, all above skills and a grade.
You will work on a challenge brought in by our partners. This will be an opportunity to experience work with a real organisation, you will manage this relationship, deal with various stakeholders, and define a solution that might be implemented and make a real impact. See below how the program is structured.

Foundations for Design Thinking

Overview