What if we are all designers, capable of reshaping existing realities into better futures? Explore design as a purposeful, human-centered process for social transformation—rooted in Herbert Simon’s ideas and the radical experimentation of the Bauhaus.
Change by Design: Systems Thinking and Human Centred Design
This is a Level 1 course from the Management and Innovation major, part of the Open Bachelor’s programme. It is worth 6 ECTS and takes place in Term 1 in Lisbon.
Course Summary
Can We Design a Better Future? What if we’re all designers—capable of transforming existing situations into preferred ones? Inspired by Herbert Simon and the Bauhaus School of Thought, this course invites you to tackle real-world social innovation challenges through the lens of design thinking: a creative, collaborative approach to complex problem-solving.
You’ll engage deeply with design theory and become fluent in ethnographic research methods, with a focus on defining the right problem before rushing to solve it. Today’s urgent social and environmental challenges affect individuals, organisations, and systems—and can only be addressed through multi-stakeholder dialogue, critical thinking, and rigorous, qualitative research.
Working on a Portugal-based challenge, you’ll test your theoretical knowledge in the field: developing empathy, curiosity, and the discipline of a design researcher. As the Bauhaus dean warned in 1991, “Stop polluting the world with perfect solutions to ill-defined problems.” In this course, you’ll learn to do just that—by formulating better questions, prototyping early, and iterating often.
If you’re ready to develop practical tools while making a real impact, this course is your first step toward becoming a changemaker by design.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
| Description | Mapped to Human Intelligence | |
|---|---|---|
| CLO 1 | Apply the principles of human-centred design, through a systems thinking lens, to define challenges and iterate solutions to a real-world social or environmental challenge. | CI4 – Mastery in Knowledge Application |
| CLO 2 | Collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary team and partners to co-create prototypes addressing stakeholder needs in a complex system. | SEI5 – Collaboration |
| CLO 3 | Reflect on your problem-solving process to identify areas for growth in creativity, empathy, and decision-making. | PI7 – Project Management |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Weighting of Course Grade | Group Assessment? | Invigilated? | CLOs Mapped | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 | Introductory – Presentation | 20% | Yes – Groups of two-three | No | CLOs 1 & 3 |
| Assessment 2 | Final Report Idea Pitch (10pages) and Process Documentation (MuralBoard) | 50% | Yes | No | CLOs 1 & 3 |
| Assessment 3 | Evaluative – Peer Assessment & Digital Personal Learning Journal | 30% | No | No | CLOs 2 & 3 |
- Assessment 1 Description: Deliver an in-class Creative 10-minutes team presentation on one real-world case from books recommended for this class (for example as “Design for a Better World”, D. Normal), explaining how design thinking and systems thinking were used to address an SDG-related challenge.
- Assessment 2 Description: Deliver an engaging 7-minutes idea-pitch at the end of the course. Submit a max 10-page report (excluding cover and references) presenting your team’s original solution idea. Include how you got there: relevant theories, process steps, and methods used—highlighting the Design Thinking phases, methods, and techniques applied (with references, technical)
- Assessment 3 Description: Evaluate your peer’s contribution to teamwork; individually reflect on your learning journey and team experience, including use of research tools, methods, and team dynamics and what these meant for your personal development. Highlight key insights and skills developed.
Format: Free choice – blog post, podcast, article, journal, poster, or other creative format.
Indicative List
of Topics
Before jumping to solutions, learn how to frame challenges accurately through ethnographic methods, stakeholder dialogue, and systems thinking. Discover why deep understanding is the foundation of meaningful and lasting innovation.
Bridge theory and practice by applying design principles to real-world problems. Learn how to move between abstraction and context as you test your ideas on the ground in a Portugal-based social innovation project.
Understand the power of early, low-fidelity prototyping and frequent iteration. Develop the habits of curiosity, openness, and experimentation needed to avoid solving the wrong problems perfectly—and instead embrace learning through making.
Build the mindset and skillset of a design-led innovator. Blend empathy, critical thinking, and creativity to engage with today’s social and environmental challenges—and take your first step toward designing a more just and sustainable world.
