What are the learning requirements in order to successfully complete the course, and how are grades assigned?

Participants in Design Thinking and Innovation are eligible for a Certificate of Completion from Harvard Business School Online. Participants are expected to fully complete all coursework in a thoughtful and timely manner. This will mean meeting each week’s course module deadlines and fully answering questions posed therein. This helps ensure participants proceed through the course at a similar pace and can take full advantage of social learning opportunities. In addition to module and assignment completion, we expect you to offer feedback on others’ reflections and contribute to conversations on the platform. Participants who fail to complete the course requirements will not receive a certificate and will not be eligible to retake the course. More detailed information on course requirements will be communicated at the start of the course. No grades are assigned for Design Thinking and Innovation. Participants will either be evaluated as complete or not complete.

What materials will I have access to after completing Design Thinking and Innovation?

You will have access to the materials in every prior module as you progress through the program. Access to course materials and the course platform ends 60 days after the final deadline in the program. At the end of each course module, you will be able to download a PDF summary highlighting key concepts used throughout the course. At the end of the program, you will receive a PDF compilation of all of the module summary documents. We hope the module summary documents will serve as a helpful resource after you finish the course.

How should I list my certificate on my resume?

Once you've earned your Certificate of Completion, list it on your resume along with the date of completion: Harvard Business School Online Certificate in Design Thinking and Innovation [Cohort Start Month and Year] List your certificate on your LinkedIn profile under "Education" with the language from the Credential Verification page: School: Harvard Business School Online Dates Attended: [The year you participated in the program] Degree: Other; Certificate in Design Thinking and Innovation Field of Study: Leave blank Grade: "Complete" Activities and Societies: Leave blank Description: Design Thinking and Innovation is a 7-week, 40-hour online certificate program from Harvard Business School. Design Thinking and Innovation will teach you how to leverage fundamental design thinking principles and innovative problem-solving tools to address business challenges and build products, strategies, teams, and environments for optimal use and performance. The program was developed by leading Harvard Business School faculty and is delivered in an active learning environment based on the HBS signature case-based learning model.

Beginning in Module 2 of Design Thinking and Innovation, you will apply the tools you learn in the course to an innovation problem that is important or interesting to you, or you can use a provided scenario. In subsequent modules, you will use your earlier responses to build on your innovation project and make each phase of design thinking relevant to your own work.

Do I need to collaborate with others to complete the project?

No, each individual submits their own work in Design Thinking and Innovation, and all project work can be submitted without sharing it with others in the course. You are encouraged to share with others and ask for feedback, but collaboration isn’t necessary to advance through the course.

Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Design Thinking and Innovation

Leverage design thinking principles and creative problem-solving tools to develop innovative solutions to your most challenging business problems.

Time
42-56 hrs, 6-8 hrs/week
Calendar
Oct 28, 2026 Weekly calendar
Price
$1,949
Pay by
Oct 26, 2026

Request Info

Key Concepts

Approach problems using structured methods of gathering observations, breaking cognitive fixedness, and generating creative ideas for solutions
Apply creative solutions and behavior-change analysis to innovation development and internal team processes
Develop a strategic innovation toolkit and learn when and how to apply design thinking and innovative problem-solving tools and exercises
Practice empathy in applying a human-centered approach to design techniques, such as user research, user experience, prototyping, and journey mapping
Assess group dynamics and improve team performance through tools and processes designed to enhance collaboration and iteration in development
Guide teams to draw from a wide range of professional experiences and backgrounds and create stronger collaboration dynamics to heighten their approach to innovation

Who Will Benefit

91%

Acquired new skills that were immediately applicable

92%

Developed increased confidence after completing their course

27%

Transitioned to a new industry or field

What You'll Earn

Learn More

Certificate of Specialization — **Certificate of Completion**
Boost your resume with a Certificate of Completion from HBS Online
Earn by: completing this course

Certificate of Completion — **Certificate of Specialization**
Prove your mastery of entrepreneurship and innovation
Earn by: completing any three courses within this subject area to earn a Certificate of Specialization

Course Syllabus

7 Modules, 40-50 Hours

Download full syllabus (pdf)

Module 1

Content Week - Clarify: Empathy and Understanding

6-7 Hours

Define users' explicit pain points and latent needs to identify the most game-changing part of a problem, and analyze your organization's capacity for innovative thinking.

Highlights

0:33

Structuring Observations Using Journey Maps

Module 2

Project Week – Clarify

6-8 Hours

Practice researching the innovation context and empathizing with users through structured tools.

Highlights

Module 3

Content Week - Ideate, Part 1: Tools for Generating Ideas

6-7 Hours

Develop design principles to create user-focused ideas, experiment with ideation tools, and explore different ideation approaches, such as alternate worlds and brainstorming.

Highlights

1:00

Opportunities in 2 by 2 Frameworks

Module 4

Content Week - Ideate, Part 2: User Values and Behaviors

6-7 Hours

Refine innovation ideas using design heuristics and apply research-based personas and behavior models to make innovations easier to adopt.

Highlights

0:49

Match Mental Models, Reduce Complexity, and Prevent Errors

0:48

Developing Research-Based Personas

Module 5

Project Week - Ideate

6-8 Hours

Practice generating ideas and evaluating them against research and key insights through structured tools.

Highlights

Module 6

Content Week - Develop: An Experimentation Mindset

6-7 Hours

Develop, assess, and strengthen innovation concepts, and guide prototyping by creating critical questions related to a concept's desirability, feasibility, and viability.

Highlights

Impact, Difficulty, and Innovation Sweet Spot

0:41

Near Far Sweet

Module 7

Content Week - Implement: Communication and Structure

6-7 Hours

Assess developer and user perspectives for bias, apply frameworks to communicate an innovation's value, and reflect on management skills for sustaining a culture of innovation.

Highlights

0:44

The Curse of Knowledge

0:47

The Elephant and Rider Framework

Upcoming Cohorts

Start Date	Pay by	Price	Time	Calendar
Oct 28, 2026	Oct 26, 2026	$1,949	42-56 hrs, 6-8 hrs/week	Oct 28, 2026 Calendar
Jan 13, 2027	Jan 11, 2027	$1,949	42-56 hrs, 6-8 hrs/week	Jan 13, 2027 Calendar
Mar 24, 2027	Mar 22, 2027	$1,949	42-56 hrs, 6-8 hrs/week	Mar 24, 2027 Calendar

Prices shown are in USD and do not include applicable international taxes.

Led by World-Renowned HBS Faculty

HBS Online courses are taught by Harvard Business School faculty, bringing the renowned HBS classroom experience directly to you.

Experience

Immersive Learning

Stay active by engaging in a new activity every three to five minutes and applying your knowledge through two weeks of project work.

HBS Online courses allow you to immerse yourself in a
dynamic, interactive learning experience. You’ll engage in a new activity every
three to five minutes and apply your knowledge through polls, quizzes, and
problem-solving exercises designed to accelerate and reinforce your learning.

Real-World Connections

Get social by collaborating with a global community of peers before, during, and after your course. Learners who successfully complete an HBS Online program will be added to the HBS Online Community's Official Networking Group and gain exclusive access to events and other networking opportunities.

See how the HBS Online course platform engages you in social learning. You exchange ideas, offer input, and seek out viewpoints from a community of learners gathered from around the globe. In the process, you learn from each other’s experiences and perspectives, and leave the program with a broader outlook on the world.

Real-World Cases

Immerse yourself in real-world, case-based examples brought to life by industry-leading experts from companies like Moderna, IBM, T-Mobile, and Royal Philips.

Our courses allow you to apply your learning through
real-world examples and experience Harvard Business School’s signature case
method. Business leaders will share challenges they’ve faced. As the story
unfolds, you’ll leverage course concepts, vital tools and frameworks, and the
diversity of your peers’ perspectives to analyze the problem and determine a
path forward.

Real-World Outcomes