“Design Thinking still resonates within businesses today…or, at least it should.” – Eric Lloyd

If I’ve learned one thing in my more than five years in higher education it’s that companies continue to push for employees to become better problem solvers, more creative/critical thinkers, and ultimately stronger communicators. Why? Company growth is critical, and the aforementioned skills are how many companies will achieve that growth. At Otterbein, we continue to provide education that addresses the development of these skills. Additionally, we are working towards a new focus: Design Thinking.

“Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer’s toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.” — Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO

I would add the following to Mr. Brown’s statement. This innovation approach requires more than a designer’s toolkit to be utilized. It requires multiple departments within an organization to engage in the approach.

The Otterbein University MBA Program has been collaborating with the Master of Design (MDes) Program at Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD), to integrate a Design Thinking Area of Focus within the MBA program. Design Thinking combines design research, service design, studio & project course for prototyping/impression/artifact work, along with design thinking principles critical in succeeding the innovative business and industry market, today. It is designed for individuals who wish to pursue a career in business design, organizational change, and innovation, among other potential career paths.