Course Materials
Your guided learning content, step by step, week by week. Select your programme, then click any week to open it.
12-Week Fast Focus Programme
Fast, focused progression. Select a week to open its guide, session plan, and resources.
What is Design Thinking?
Design thinking is a human-centred approach to creative problem-solving. This week you'll learn the five-stage framework and begin to see problems the way designers do, not as obstacles, but as opportunities.
What you'll learn
- The 5 stages of design thinking: Empathise, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test
- How to frame a problem before jumping to solutions
- Why process matters more than talent
- The difference between design thinking and general creativity
- 1Watch or read: Introduction to Design Thinking (see resource below)
- 2Identify a real problem in your everyday life, something that frustrates you or could work better
- 3Complete the Problem Framing Template: write what the problem is, who it affects, and why it matters
- 4Reflect: What assumptions are you bringing to this problem? Write them down.
Tools & Creative Setup
Before you build, you need the right setup. This week covers the digital and physical tools you'll use throughout the programme, from sketching basics to software orientation.
What you'll learn
- Key design tools: analogue sketching, Canva, Figma, and Adobe basics
- How to set up your workspace for creative work
- Why designers sketch before going digital
- Your first quick-sketch exercise
- 1Complete the Setup Checklist, confirm your tools are ready
- 2Do 10 minutes of free sketching, draw anything, no judgement
- 3Open your chosen software (Canva / Figma) and complete the orientation exercise
- 4Create a simple mood board of things that inspire you visually
Research & Empathy
Good design starts with genuine understanding. This week you'll learn how to research a problem properly, not by guessing, but by observing, listening, and building empathy for the people you're designing for.
What you'll learn
- Primary vs secondary research, and when to use each
- How to conduct a simple user interview
- Empathy mapping: understanding needs, feelings, and frustrations
- How to document your research so it drives design decisions
- 1Choose your design problem (from Week 1 or a new one)
- 2Complete 2 short user interviews (10 min each), ask about experiences, not opinions
- 3Fill in the Empathy Map Template based on your findings
- 4Write 3 insight statements: "I noticed that…", "I was surprised that…", "I wonder if…"
Defining the Problem
The most common design mistake is solving the wrong problem. This week you'll turn your research into a clear, focused problem statement, the foundation for everything that follows.
What you'll learn
- How to synthesise research into a clear insight
- Writing a "How Might We…" problem statement
- The difference between symptoms and root causes
- How to challenge and test your problem framing
- 1Review your research and highlight the most important insights
- 2Write 3 different "How Might We…" problem statements
- 3Choose the strongest one and explain your reasoning
- 4Share with someone and ask: "Does this feel like a real problem worth solving?"
Ideation & Concept Generation
Now you generate ideas, lots of them. Ideation is about quantity before quality. The goal is to push past the obvious and find genuinely interesting solutions before you narrow down.
What you'll learn
- How to run a productive brainstorm session
- Divergent vs convergent thinking, why you need both
- Mind mapping, SCAMPER, and other ideation techniques
- How to select and develop your best concepts
- 1Set a 20-minute timer and generate as many ideas as possible, no filtering yet
- 2Complete the Ideation Board, group your ideas by theme
- 3Circle your 3 most interesting ideas and sketch a quick visual for each
- 4Choose 1 concept to develop further this week
Prototyping
Prototyping is how you make your ideas tangible. It doesn't need to be perfect, it needs to be testable. A rough model that teaches you something is worth more than a polished idea that stays in your head.
What you'll learn
- What a prototype is, and what it isn't
- Lo-fi vs hi-fi prototyping, when to use each
- How to build a paper or digital prototype quickly
- The "fail fast, learn fast" mindset
- 1Sketch 3 versions of your concept (different approaches, not different polish levels)
- 2Build your first prototype: paper model, digital wireframe, or physical mock-up
- 3Photograph or screenshot your prototype
- 4Write: What does this prototype test? What question are you trying to answer?
Testing Your Design
You've built something. Now find out if it actually works. Testing is one of the most underused skills in design, and one of the most powerful. Real feedback from real people will tell you things you can't think your way to.
What you'll learn
- How to run a simple, structured user test
- What to observe vs what to ask
- How to record feedback without biasing the tester
- The difference between a useful test and a validation exercise
- 1Identify 2–3 people to test your prototype with (they should represent your target user)
- 2Set a scenario: give them a task, don't explain the design, just observe
- 3Use the Feedback Form to record what they do, say, and struggle with
- 4Write a short summary: What worked? What didn't? What surprised you?
Analysing Feedback
Feedback is only useful if you know what to do with it. This week you'll learn how to sort, prioritise, and act on what you've heard, turning raw observations into clear design decisions.
What you'll learn
- How to sort feedback into themes (affinity mapping)
- The priority matrix: what to fix now vs what to park
- Separating "I didn't like it" from "this doesn't work"
- How to make design decisions from contradictory feedback
- 1Write each piece of feedback on a separate sticky note (physical or digital)
- 2Group them into themes, what keeps coming up?
- 3Use the Priority Matrix: High Impact + Easy Fix = do it now
- 4Decide on 3 specific changes to make to your design
Iteration
The second version is always better than the first. Iteration isn't starting over, it's improving with purpose. This week you'll apply your feedback decisions and make your design meaningfully stronger.
What you'll learn
- How to implement feedback without losing your original concept
- Documenting your changes so they tell a design story
- When to refine vs when to rethink
- Why showing your process matters as much as your output
- 1Apply your 3 priority changes from Week 8 to your prototype
- 2Photograph / screenshot your updated version alongside the original
- 3Write a brief annotation for each change: What changed and why?
- 4Do a quick self-test, does the updated design solve the problem better?
Visual Refinement & Finishing
This is where craft comes in. The content might be right, now you elevate the visual quality. Consistency, detail, and clarity signal professionalism and care. Small decisions at this stage make a big difference.
What you'll learn
- Visual consistency: typography, colour, and spacing
- How to review your work with a fresh eye
- Common finishing mistakes and how to avoid them
- Preparing your final output for portfolio
- 1Do a visual audit of your design, check spacing, alignment, and colour consistency
- 2Fix the top 5 visual issues you find
- 3Export or photograph your final design at high quality
- 4Write a one-paragraph summary: What is this, who is it for, and what problem does it solve?
Portfolio Building
Your portfolio doesn't just show what you made, it shows how you think. This week you'll start documenting your process in a way that tells a compelling design story, from problem to solution.
What you'll learn
- What employers and clients actually look for in a portfolio
- Process over outcome, why showing your thinking matters
- How to structure a portfolio case study
- Choosing images, writing captions, and building narrative
- 1Gather all your project artefacts: sketches, photos, prototypes, feedback notes
- 2Write a short intro: the problem, who it's for, and your approach
- 3Select 6–10 images that show your process and outcome
- 4Draft captions for each image: what is it showing and why does it matter?
Final Presentation
You've done the work. Now you share it. A final presentation isn't just showing what you made, it's communicating your thinking clearly and confidently. This week prepares you to do exactly that.
What you'll learn
- How to structure a design presentation (problem → process → outcome)
- How to talk about your work without over-explaining
- Handling questions and feedback in a presentation setting
- How to use this project as a springboard to your next one
- 1Complete your portfolio case study from Week 11
- 2Prepare a 5-minute verbal walkthrough of your project
- 3Practice presenting to someone, ask them to give you feedback on your communication, not just the work
- 4Submit your final portfolio piece and complete the programme reflection form
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