Introduction

Through a blend of creative thinking, structured problem-solving and hands-on activities, this one-day course introduces participants to the principles and stages of Design Thinking, equipping them with the tools and confidence to tackle business challenges, improve customer experiences and drive continuous innovation in their organisations. 

Participants will be able to:

• Explain the principles of Design Thinking and its value in driving customer-centred innovation
• Understand and apply the Double Diamond framework to guide the design and innovation process from problem discovery through to solution delivery
• Use empathy and customer insight techniques to better understand user needs, behaviours and pain points
• Define clear, user-centred problem statements that address the right challenge
• Apply a range of ideation techniques to generate and evaluate innovative solutions
• Develop rapid, low-fidelity prototypes to explore and communicate ideas
• Test concepts with users, gather meaningful feedback and refine solutions through iteration
• Apply Design Thinking tools and techniques to the development of new products, services, processes and customer experiences
• Identify practical opportunities to embed Design Thinking within their own role, team or organisation

Why choose this programme?

Catalyst’s Design Thinking trainning equips participants with proven techniques to better understand user needs, challenge assumptions, encourage creative thinking and rapidly test ideas before investing significant time and resources. 

Designed as an interactive, hands-on learning experience, the course combines practical exercises, group activities and real-world scenarios to bring the Design Thinking process to life. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of each stage of the methodology, along with practical tools and templates they can apply immediately in their own organisation. By the end of the day, delegates will have greater confidence in tackling complex problems, collaborating across teams and designing solutions that are both innovative and customer-focused. 

Delivery options

Delivered in-company, either on-site or virtually 

Features bespoke, lively, and interactive sessions tailored to your team 

Typically delivered over one day but can be split across half-day sessions 

Course overview

Throughout the programme, participants will be introduced to a range of practical Design Thinking tools and techniques, including: 

• The Double Diamond framework for guiding the innovation process from discovery to delivery. 

• Empathy mapping to better understand customer needs, behaviours and motivations. 

• Customer personas to represent key user groups and inform decision-making. 

• Customer journey mapping to identify pain points and opportunities for improvement. 

• Stakeholder mapping to understand different perspectives and influences. 

• “How Might We…?” questions to reframe challenges into opportunities for innovation. 

• Brainstorming and ideation techniques to generate a broad range of creative solutions. 

• Rapid, low-fidelity prototyping techniques, including paper prototypes and storyboards. 

• User testing and feedback methods to validate ideas and support iterative improvement.