This course is conducted in a hybrid format - lecture sessions on Thursdays 6:00-8:45 PM plus asynchronous online work. You will participate using the Cal State LA learning management system Canvas at calstatela.instructure.com.
The course follows an iterative, studio-style approach. Weekly topics provide structure while allowing flexibility to adjust based on student work, discussion, and learning pace.
Human-centered Design is an interactive problem-solving approach that prioritizes users' needs, behaviors, and experiences, integrating empathy, creativity, and usability principles to design effective, accessible, and meaningful systems, products, or services.
These principles ground everything we build in this course - ensuring the systems we design are effective, meaningful, and built for real people.
To fully participate in this course you will need:
- A device (laptop or desktop recommended) with a modern web browser
- Reliable internet access
- Access to Canvas at calstatela.instructure.com
Demonstrate the design thinking process from empathy through delivery, producing artifacts at each phase that document decision-making and user focus.
Conduct real client research, synthesize findings, and produce personas, user stories, and validated project goals that ground the design in actual need.
Evaluate foundational concepts and apply them to real-world problems - understanding not just what to build, but how to think about what gets built and why.
Develop a working product that meets accessibility standards and reflects intentional, principled design decisions grounded in course design principles.
Produce status reports, in-class demos, and a client handoff that demonstrate the ability to adjust format, language, and level of detail for different audiences.
Apply sprint-based feedback loops across three development cycles, documenting changes through accessibility reviews, change logs, and status reports.
Create systems that add value beyond the classroom - understanding that what gets built affects real users, real organizations, and the communities they serve.
You can view your grades using the GRADES button in the Canvas course navigation. Please check your grades regularly to ensure all your assignments have been received.
The first two weeks are about getting organized - understanding what systems are, forming your team, and mapping the landscape of your project.
From there, weeks three through six follow the Design Thinking process directly. You’ll spend two weeks in the field - researching your client’s world, preparing smart questions, and conducting real interviews - before stepping back to define the problem clearly and explore multiple solution directions. You cannot design well for people you don’t understand.
Weeks seven and eight are where research becomes something tangible. You’ll build a prototype, put it in front of real people, and learn what needs to change before development begins.
The remainder of the semester is development - three sprints with structured feedback at every checkpoint. You’ll track your progress, demo your work, and keep refining based on what you hear. By the end of the semester you will have designed and delivered a system, product, or service that adds real value to real people.
Tip - click any concept tag for more detail.
| Wk | Phase | Focus & Concepts | Site 1 - Artifact Site | Site 2 - Client Deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Initiate |
What is a system and who is it built for?
Overview of design thinking methods and principles. Introduction to the group project concept.
Systems What/Why/Who/How Framework Design Thinking
|
- | - |
| 2 | Initiate |
Form teams, build team charter, assign roles, map stakeholders
Introduction to design principles checklist. Build Site 1 using AI tools.
Team Dynamics Stakeholder Ecosystem
|
Team Charter Team Roles Stakeholder Matrix Project Definition Design Checklist | - |
| 3 | Empathize |
Requirements Gathering Part 1 - self-directed research
Secure client, study their industry, draft interview questions.
Requirements Gathering
|
Research Summary Interview Questions | - |
| 4 | Empathize |
Requirements Gathering Part 2 - formal client interviews
Execute interviews, listen, document and summarize findings.
Requirements Gathering Stakeholder Communication
|
Formal Interview Summaries | - |
| 5 | Define |
Synthesize research and define the real problem
Build personas and user stories. Validate and finalize project goals.
Design Thinking - Personas & User Stories
|
Personas User Stories Validated Project Goals | - |
| 6 | Ideate |
Generate multiple solution directions before committing to one
Produce 3+ meaningfully different concepts. Present directions in class.
Design Thinking - Ideation
|
Ideation Board Chosen Direction | - |
| 7 | Prototype |
Wireframes and low-fidelity mockups
A prototype is a question, not a promise.
Design Thinking - Prototyping
|
- | Initial Prototype |
| 8 | Test |
Put the prototype in front of real people
Collect structured feedback. What you learn here shapes how you build.
Feedback Change Management
|
- | Iterated Prototype |
| 9 | Sprint 1 - Build |
Development beginsSprint 1 Start
Choose development method (Hybrid, Iterative, or Incremental). Stand up Site 2 and begin Sprint 1.
Development Methods
|
Weekly Status Report Change Log | Stand up and host Client Deliverable site |
| 10 | Sprint 1 - Test |
Sprint 1 - test and feedbackSprint 1 End
Review what was built, collect feedback, and document what changes. Introduce tracking and reporting.
Development Tracking & Reporting Stakeholder Communication
|
Weekly Status Report Accessibility Review | Sprint 1 end |
| 11 | Sprint 2 - Build |
Sprint 2 - buildSprint 2 Start
Incorporate Sprint 1 feedback and continue building. Cover presentation skills in preparation for Demo #1 next week.
Effective Presentations
|
Weekly Status Report Change Log | Sprint 2 build |
| 12 | Sprint 2 - Test |
Sprint 2 - test and Demo #1Demo #1Sprint 2 End
In-class demo of the current Client Deliverable. Structured feedback from class and instructor.
|
Weekly Status Report Accessibility Review | Sprint 2 end |
| 13 | Sprint 3 - Build |
Sprint 3 - buildSprint 3 Start
Incorporate Demo #1 feedback. Final sprint - build toward delivery.
|
Weekly Status Report Change Log | Sprint 3 build |
| 14 | Sprint 3 - Test |
Sprint 3 - test and feedbackSprint 3 End
Final review before delivery. Post-go-live support planning - what happens after handoff?
|
Weekly Status Report Accessibility Review | Sprint 3 end |
| 15 | Deliver |
Client deliveryDelivery
Final product handed off to the client. The system, product, or service that adds real value to real people.
|
Handoff Documentation | Final delivered build |
| 16 | Closure |
ClosureFinal
Retrospective, lessons learned, and reflection on the full semester journey.
|
Lessons Learned | - |
Being here is part of the experience - this course is built around in-class work, discussion, and collaboration that can't be replicated outside the room.
- Excused absences - illness, family emergencies, religious observances, jury duty, and university-approved activities. Contact me before class when possible, and submitted work will be accepted by the original due date.
- Unexcused absences - no credit for that week's in-class work.
- In-class work is due by Friday end of day following the class session.
- Project work is due by Sunday at 5:00 PM following the class session.
Deadlines may vary if otherwise noted on the assignment.
Late work is not accepted by default. Throughout the semester, specific opportunities will be offered where professional engagement activities - such as attending a networking event or conducting an informational interview - may be applied toward course credit in lieu of or in addition to standard grading.
AI tools are encouraged in this course as learning partners - not shortcuts. See Expectations → AI Policy for full guidelines on encouraged uses, misuses to avoid, and the AI literacy goals for this course.
All work submitted must be your own scholarly and creative efforts. Cal State LA defines plagiarism as: "the act of using ideas, words, or work of another person or persons as if they were one's own, without giving proper credit to the original sources."
This includes improper use of AI tools, copying from classmates, and misrepresenting your contributions to group work. Violations will be reported to academic affairs.
You are expected to familiarize yourself with the Cal State LA Academic Honesty Policy: ecatalog.calstatela.edu
Information on student rights and responsibilities, standards of conduct, etc., can be found by visiting the Cal State LA Student Conduct Office: calstatela.edu/studentconduct/policies-and-procedures
Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drops, academic renewal, etc. Students should be aware of current deadlines and penalties for adding and dropping classes by visiting the GET Schedule Planner: calstatela.edu/registrar/get
Reasonable accommodation will be provided to any student who is registered with the Office of Students with Disabilities and requests needed accommodation. For more information visit the Office for Students with Disabilities: calstatela.edu/osd
Students are expected to attend all class sessions and communicate proactively about any absences. Please refer to the Cal State LA Missed Class Time and Makeup Policy: calstatela.edu/academicsenate/handbook/ch5
Every framework, tool, or method gets presented in a way that connects to real-world use - including stories from my own work, the challenges, pivots, and lessons learned.
You'll gain a high-level understanding of the major dimensions of human-centered design. You don't need to specialize in everything - but as a designer, you must understand the landscape.
You are not just students - you're future colleagues. Your voice matters. We'll learn from each other, not just from me. Your unique insights and experiences will enrich this course.
Whether it's your final project or a simple class exercise, everything we do is designed to be genuinely useful to you - not just a hoop to jump through.
Just like in real-world projects, plans are a starting point - not a finish line. Based on your interests and feedback, we may pivot or iterate on activities, topics, or scope.
Behind every successful project is a web of relationships, communication, and trust. We'll focus on leveraging emotional intelligence to lead with empathy and clarity.
The goal isn't perfection - it's engagement.
Humor and personality are welcome. Shade is not.
If something's not working in your group, let me know early - not the night before it's due.
- Unexcused absences - no credit for that week's in-class work or homework
- Excused absences - submissions accepted, must be turned in by the expected dates
- In-Class Activities - due Friday after class
- Project Assignments - due Sunday at 5:00 PM after class
- Exceptions - noted on the specific assignment