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Design Thinking - A Primer (NPTEL, IIT Madras)

An NPTEL primer from IIT Madras on the design thinking process: empathise, analyse, solve and test, with workshops and stories.

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About this course

This NPTEL course introduces design thinking as a practical problem-solving method. Lectures and recorded workshops walk through each stage, from empathy interviews and root-cause analysis (such as the 5 Whys) to generating solutions and testing prototypes with users, using case studies along the way. Lectures are available in English and several Indian languages.

Best for: Students and professionals in India who want a structured design thinking course with an optional IIT certificate.

What you will be able to do

  • Explain the stages of the design thinking process
  • Conduct empathy interviews to understand users
  • Use root-cause tools such as the 5 Whys
  • Prototype and test solutions with users

Syllabus and your progress

Tick modules off as you finish them on NPTEL.

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Cost and certificate

Paid certificate

Lectures are free; the NPTEL certificate requires passing a proctored exam that carries a fee.

NPTEL sets the terms and can change them. Check the course page before you commit serious time, and tell us if something changed.

Quick answers

Is Design Thinking - A Primer (NPTEL, IIT Madras) really free?
Yes, the course material is free on NPTEL. Lectures are free; the NPTEL certificate requires passing a proctored exam that carries a fee.
How long does Design Thinking - A Primer (NPTEL, IIT Madras) take?
NPTEL does not publish an hour estimate. It is instructor-paced, so you set the pace.
Do I need experience before Design Thinking - A Primer (NPTEL, IIT Madras)?
No. It is a beginner course with no prerequisites listed.

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Design Thinking - A Primer (NPTEL, IIT Madras)

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