In a modern workplace where employee experience is a key differentiator, traditional HR processes often fall short of meeting people's genuine needs. This training course is meticulously designed to introduce HR professionals to the powerful methodology of design thinking—a human-centered approach to problem-solving. By mastering this creative framework, you will be equipped to move beyond conventional administrative tasks and become an innovative architect of solutions that truly resonate with employees. This program provides the essential blueprint for transforming HR from a reactive function into a proactive, empathetic, and strategic partner in building a thriving organizational culture.

This comprehensive curriculum offers a practical deep dive into the five stages of design thinking: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. You will learn hands-on techniques to uncover hidden employee pain points, generate radical new ideas, and quickly prototype and test solutions with your internal users. The course focuses on real-world HR challenges, from improving onboarding to reimagining performance management, helping you to build the skills necessary to drive meaningful change. By the end of this program, you will not only be proficient in the design thinking process but also be prepared to champion innovation, foster a culture of creativity, and deliver people-centric solutions that have a lasting impact.

Duration

5 days

Target Audience

• HR directors and managers
• Talent acquisition specialists
• Learning and development professionals
• Employee experience managers
• Organizational development specialists
• HR business partners
• Change management leaders
• Innovation and strategy teams
• Aspiring HR leaders
• Anyone responsible for improving HR processes and programs

Objectives

• Understand the core principles of design thinking and its relevance to HR.
• Master the five stages of the design thinking process.
• Develop empathy to uncover genuine employee needs and pain points.
• Generate creative and innovative solutions for HR challenges.
• Prototype and test new HR programs and services.
• Facilitate design thinking workshops within their own organizations.
• Use design thinking to improve the employee experience.
• Apply a human-centered approach to solve complex business problems.
• Build a culture of continuous innovation within the HR function.

Course Modules

Module 1: Introduction to Design Thinking for HR

• What is design thinking and why it matters for HR.
• The shift from process-centric to human-centric HR.
• The five stages of the design thinking process.
• Case studies of design thinking in action in HR.
• The mindset of a design thinker.

Module 2: Empathize - Understanding Your Audience

• Techniques for conducting empathy interviews and observation.
• Creating personas and empathy maps to visualize user needs.
• Journey mapping the employee experience.
• Identifying key pain points and moments that matter.
• Synthesizing research to define a problem statement.

Module 3: Define - Framing the Challenge

• The importance of a well-defined problem statement.
• How to craft a "How Might We" statement.
• Moving from a problem to an opportunity.
• Stakeholder analysis and alignment.
• Setting the stage for ideation.

Module 4: Ideate - Brainstorming Creative Solutions

• Facilitating effective brainstorming sessions.
• Techniques for generating a high volume of ideas.
• The role of wild ideas and creative provocation.
• Group exercises to spark innovation.
• Selecting the most promising ideas to move forward.

Module 5: Prototype - Bringing Ideas to Life

• Principles of rapid prototyping and low-fidelity models.
• Creating a prototype for an HR program or service.
• Tools and techniques for quick and easy prototyping.
• The importance of prototyping to test assumptions.
• Getting comfortable with failure as part of the process.

Module 6: Test - Gathering Feedback and Iterating

• Planning and conducting user tests with employees.
• Collecting and analyzing qualitative feedback.
• Synthesizing feedback to inform the next iteration.
• The build, measure, learn loop in HR.
• Applying lessons learned to refine the solution.

Module 7: Implementation and Scaling

• Developing a roadmap for implementing the final solution.
• Measuring the impact and ROI of the new HR program.
• Communicating the value of design thinking to the business.
• Building a culture of continuous innovation and human-centricity.
• A personal action plan for applying design thinking in your role.

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org Tel: +254 702 249 449

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Skills for Africa Training Institute Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Skills for Africa Training Institute certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org Tel: +254 702 249 449

Terms of Payment: Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 7 working days before commencement of the training.