LinkedIn Learning: Design Thinking, Understanding the Process

41m * Intermediate * Course

Prior to this morning I had a completely different course in mind for this week, but when I opened LinkedIn Learning today, Design Thinking with Chris Nodder appeared in my ‘Top picks’ selection. Distracted I clicked on the recommendation and acquainted myself with the description which identified the benefits of understanding the design process. With my interest piqued, I decided to watch the introduction video which opened with Nodder talking about how design thinking is a way of getting people to think creatively from a new perspective. Naturally this segwayed my brain into thinking about the 21 day Challenge I participated in just a few weeks ago with the very same intention of developing my creative thinking. Given that a lot of my recent courses have been more interactive and art based, I thought I could benefit from an academic perspective.

Unfortunately the further I got through the course the more I realised it was more tailored to companies and group activities. For a course advertised as open to individuals and companies it had a lot of information on how to get your workers thinking creatively and a lot less on the actual design process. Just when I had decided to abandon this course Nodder mentioned another course he had completed that goes into more depth on the process of design thinking. Whilst hesitant to place my hopes in another course by Chris Nodder I decided there was no harm in watching the opening video and hopefully learning something applicable to my own practices.

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I’m not sure what it was about today, maybe it's just me or it could be that I just struggle to follow Chris Nodder as a lecturer. I’m not suggesting that his lectures aren’t valuable. I'm sure they are to some people, however for me they are difficult to follow, overly complicated and didn't deliver on expectations. Perhaps if I’d managed to watch them the whole way through this wouldn’t have been the case but I honestly could not comprehend what he was trying to communicate. I found both the descriptions and titles extremely misleading to what was then discussed in the videos. I’m now wondering if I maybe don’t understand or am misinterpreting the meaning behind ‘design thinking’ as a concept? Either way I’ve decided it’s for the best that I move forward, and try to discover a course that can teach me how to develop as a creative thinker.

Part 2

LinkedIn Learning Path: Improve Your Creativity Skills

2h 58m * Beginner/Intermediate * Learning Path

As I have mentioned before a LinkedIn Learning Path is a collection of courses targeted at a singular goal. In this case the Learning Path I have chosen is about improving your creative thinking, it identifies successful brainstorming techniques, helping you to generate ideas that resonate and works towards refining your creative process. It’s a short Learning Path in comparison to some other ones I’ve partaken in the past, so I plan to look at it as just another course.

However, before I begin I have decided to give myself a break to prevent my brain from melting. Even though it's probably not been as long as it feels, trying to comprehend Chris Nodder’s courses has left me quite tired, and my concentration is not what it was at the beginning of today. I’m planning to start fresh tomorrow. Hopefully with a working brain in progress.