Design Thinking: Making Lightning Strike

Don’t wait for lightning to strike—make it strike. Design thinking, also known as human-centered design, is a powerful problem-solving methodology used by top consulting firms, startups and innovators to create solutions that people actually need. This approach isn’t just for driving profit—it can be applied to any challenge, helping you harness your creativity on demand.

Join us for a four-week seminar, held Wednesday evenings from February 26 – March 19, where you’ll gain practical tools to cut through ambiguity and make informed decisions. Thanks to a generous Howard County grant, you will have free access to one-on-one instructor consultations during the course, allowing you to apply what you learn in real-time. Plus, to make it easier to fit into your busy schedule, food will be provided at each session.

Note: Attendance at all four sessions is highly encouraged, as each builds upon the previous one to take you through the full design thinking process.

Learning Objectives

• Understand design thinking and how to use it to build solutions that meet real user needs—whether your users are customers, nonprofit clients, or even yourself.
• Gain hands-on experience with essential tools, including customer interviews, collaborative research synthesis, rapid prototyping, and user testing.
• Apply your new knowledge in a low-stakes, interactive environment before integrating it into your venture, career, or personal projects.
• Receive free one-on-one coaching with the instructor to refine your approach as you implement what you learn.

Key Takeaways

• A clear understanding of design thinking and its practical applications.
• Hands-on experience with user-centered research and prototyping.
• Personalized guidance through one-on-one coaching sessions.
• A powerful problem-solving toolkit that sets you apart from the competition and provides a structured approach to uncertainty.

Meet Your Instructor:
Vance MacEwen, MA, MBA is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the MIC and co-founder CEO of Greatest Possible Good, a design thinking firm for social good. Vance is passionate about low-stress entrepreneurship and delivers interactive workshops that guide participants through the complete design thinking process.

Event Venue

Maryland Innovation Center, 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, United States