Design Thinking in the Executive MBA Cover Image

Design Thinking in the Executive MBA
Design Thinking in the Executive MBA

Author(s): Cheri DeClercq, Sarah Gretter
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Education, Adult Education, Higher Education , Educational Psychology
Published by: New Millennium Discoveries Ltd
Keywords: Design Thinking; MBA; Experiential Learning; Iterative Feedback; Curriculum Design; Project Stakeholders

Summary/Abstract: This article describes the redesign of a Strategic Vision course in an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) program in the United States, and the subsequent use of design thinking as a critical problem-solving tool in the program itself. Using Design Thinking as the curricular framework, this experiential course aims to introduce business executives to solving business challenges through design thinking methodologies. Over eight weeks, student teams work with external project partners to produce creative business solutions to current and complex organizational challenges. Teams are introduced to Design Thinking and practice steps in the Design Thinking process by applying them to a real-life business challenge. Here, we describe the genesis of the course redesign, iterations on its content, and the feedback it has received from students, faculty, and project partners, in the hope that it will contribute to the curation of new design frameworks in higher education.

  • Issue Year: 10/2023
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 245-262
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: English