HSOC-205: Insights

As design assumes an increasingly strategic role in both for-profit and non-profit domains, designers must expand their ability to think contextually about people, organizations, markets, brands, and publics they're designing for. This course teaches students how to become insightful about the world by honing their research and analysis skills to translate information into strategic opportunities for design. Insights introduces various approaches to trend research in the socio-cultural, technological, and design spheres and explores how designers can utilize trends to inform their creative work. Insights was originally built around industry practice informed by corporations like Nokia, Nike, Target, and Apple that have dedicated "Design Insights" teams. It continues to be informed by the methods and practices of researchers who specialize in providing credible, strategic insights to their clients.