Miami, July 27, 2016— The Idea Center at Miami Dade College (MDC) will host an information session Tuesday, Aug. 9, at 6 p.m., about Design for Miami, a new 12- week course that will teach participants design thinking, the creative problem solving methodology focused on understanding people that is used by many of the world’s most innovative companies, including Apple, AirBnb, and Nike. The event is free and open to the public.
“Design Thinking is one of the most important innovation toolkits today,” said Leandro Finol, Executive Director of The Idea Center. “Participants will be able to apply the skills they learn both to their business lives and to make Miami a better place.”
The class is based on Stanford University’s cutting-edge Design for Extreme Affordability, which has spawned successful social ventures. Ariel Raz, Learning Experience Designer at Stanford University’s d.School will discuss the new program, which helps users focus on understanding people, leading to unexpected insights and surprising solutions.
Course participants will work on real-world design projects geared toward improving the lives of Miamians living at or below the poverty line. The design process focuses on identifying and meeting the needs, aspirations, and cultural norms of underserved communities. The results are a prototype and an implementation plan for a product or service that addresses the design challenge. These projects can have meaningful impacts in Miami’s communities and better position residents to fully realize their potential. Projects have been developed with Catalyst Miami to serve their clients.
For more information or to register, visit ww.theideacenter.co/designformiami. Design for Miami is open to the public without any prerequisites. Classes begin Sept. 6.
The Idea Center @MDC
The Idea Center @MDC is the college’s hub of innovation, the place where students from all disciplines can gather, collaborate and take advantage of resources and training to develop their entrepreneurial ideas. Through cutting-edge entrepreneurship education, professional development and experiential learning, students and community members can acquire the tools needed to identify challenges and develop solutions. The Idea Center has several components including MarketHack, CREATE accelerator, CodePro, The Startup Challenge, and the Innovation Lab, to name a few. It is made possible through the support of Knight Foundation. For more information, visit www.theideacenter.co