LAW-2066 Design Thinking for Lawyers and Business Professionals
Innovation and creativity are driving forces in today's economy. An innovative way of thinking has gained traction in the legal and business worlds, with a different approach to problem solving. It starts with intensely understanding the client's/customer’s needs and then developing new solutions using design principles. The use of this human-centered approach -- Design Thinking -- is critical to the success of many businesses and organizations today. It is also an essential skill for professionals succeeding in today's fast-moving environment. A form of design thinking called Legal Design has also taken off as a discipline within the law – it involves using empathy research to understand how the legal system interacts with the public and designing solutions to better serve clients.
This class will introduce students to the concept and fundamentals of Design Thinking. We will start with a learning "boot camp" on Design Thinking and then move quickly to collaborative exercises. Students will be assigned to a team of 4-5 students who will work throughout the semester on a real-world problem. Choices for the teams will include working with an actual client (either a group within the law school or an outside organization) to help them solve a problem or working to develop an innovative solution to a specific topic area. The teams will work collaboratively to understand their clients or problem area and to propose solutions. The teams will be coached by the instructors throughout the semester with active participation by each team member and working towards a final presentation.
The class is open to students who want to tap into their creative potential and develop skills that will help them thrive in the innovation economy. We will meet twice a week (Tuesdays & Thursdays) to enhance teamwork and collaboration skills and work. Limited to 20 students. Because of the twice weekly class meetings, the class will end with final presentations in late March and early April.