Designing for Change

Create change through movements, not mandates
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No matter what industry you’re in, no matter where you sit in an organization, change can come from you. Learn how to create a movement to catalyze change in your organization or network by mobilizing people around a shared purpose. Follow the human-centered approach to creating change that IDEO's been honing over the past decade. Big change starts small, and lasting change is within your reach.

Course Outcomes
  • Grow your organization, team, or community’s capacity for change through influence rather than authority.
  • Mobilize people who are enthusiastic about the change you seek by keeping them at the center of your work.
  • Sustain your change by redesigning the conditions that support it and spreading the word through storytelling.
  • Build momentum for your cause and overcome resistance to change by starting small and creating tangible wins that show progress.
Course Themes
Organizational Change Change Management Leadership
Format Online Cohort Course
Start Date
Quantity
Duration 5 Weeks
Time 4 Hours/Week
Price
$699
$699
Download Syllabus

What You'll Learn

Week 1: Introduction

Explore how movements can lead to lasting change within teams, organizations, and society at large.
Watch a sneak peek
  • Designing for Change—sneak peek of the class
     
3 Video Lessons
  • Getting Started—Change is beautiful
  • Designing for Change—Dr. Reddy’s case study
  • Circle of Purpose—A look inside human systems
1 Assignment

  • Craft your Change Statement—Sketch and complete the sentence: "I want to change (present state) in order to (desired outcome)."

1 Discussion
  • When has change led to something beautiful in your life?

Week 2: Mobilizing People

Learn how effective movements start and how to frame your change in a compelling, human-centered way to build support.
3 Video Lessons
  • The Potential for Change—Start with people
  • Framing the Change—Why your change matters
  • Forming Your Coalition—Organize people for action
1 Assignment

  • Mobilizing People—Frame your change in order to build your coalition.

2 Discussions
  • Have you ever felt like you were swimming upstream trying to change something?
  • Share a frame that got you excited or, even better, inspired you toward action.

Week 3: Taking Action

Start small and show tangible progress by building a beacon for your change.
2 Video Lessons
  • Beacons for Change—People support what they create
  • How to Build a Beacon—Start small, start now
1 Assignment

  • Taking Action—Let's get our hands dirty and start building a beacon.

1 Discussion
  • When have you seen a symbol of change that made you want to join in?

Week 4: Growing Change

Sustain your change by redesigning the conditions that support it, identifying frictions, and spreading the word through storytelling.
3 Video Lessons
  • Redesigning Conditions—Change can’t happen without friction
  • The Power of Storytelling—How to recruit more believers
  • The Snowball Effect—Institutionalizing change
1 Assignment

  • Growing Change—Write the story of your beacon for change prototype

2 Discussions
  • When was a time you experienced friction?
  • When was a time that a story really inspired you?

Week 5: Conclusion

Get tips for maintaining momentum and a positive mindset through your journey of change, and make a plan for your next steps.
1 Video Lesson
  • Final Remarks—Change is a journey
1 Assignment

  • Final Reflection—Reflect on where you are now and dream of where you want to go to help you set intention and direction.

1 Discussion
  • What will you take away from this course to design for change?

Meet Your Instructors

Bryan Yuji Walker

Partner and Managing Director at IDEO San Francisco

Bryan leads the Design for Change studio, helping leaders transform their organizations in pursuit of innovation, adaptability, and impact. His work has won design awards and recognitions, and he lectures at several universities. Bryan has degrees in anthropology and design from Oxford and Cornell.

More About Brian
More From Bryan Yuji Walker
IDEO U Blog
How to Create Change in Your Organization
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Changing Company Culture Requires a Movement, Not a Mandate

Bryan Yuji Walker

Partner and Managing Director at IDEO San Francisco

Bryan leads the Design for Change studio, helping leaders transform their organizations’ cultures and businesses in pursuit of innovation, adaptability, and impact.

Bryan is curious about the future of work and how design can affect and support change within complex human systems. Together with his clients, he’s exploring what corporate leaders can learn from entrepreneurs and venture capitalists; how technology, a new generation of employees, and a shifting marketplace is redefining the workplace experience; and how leaders can drive change by movement as opposed to mandates.

Bryan earned a master’s degree in social anthropology from Oxford University and a bachelor’s degree in design and environmental analysis from Cornell. Outside the office, he can be found chasing the perfect wave.

Collaborate with a Global Community

Work with Expert Coaches

Our teaching team has extensive applied industry knowledge. They'll help deepen your understanding and application of the course content by facilitating written discussions, live video moments, and assignment feedback.

Expand Your Network

Join breakout discussion groups for deeper conversation, reflection, and connection. Participate in optional virtual live conversations led by teaching team members and available twice weekly.

Receive Feedback

Gain tips, techniques, and a downloadable feedback guide; and share and receive feedback on assignments from peers.

Learn more about the IDEO U Learning Experience

Loved by Learners Across the Globe

Laura V.
Laura Business Process Officer COFIDES Spain
Amy Bracewell
Amy National Park Manager
Abir Ghazali
Abir Internal Comms Supervisor ABC Sal
Ben C.
Ben Managing Director The Project Lab
Designing for Change
Cohort Course

“This course gives you a vision of the power to change things. With a little order, structure, and know-how to disseminate an idea well, you can change an entire organization. You can also implement these methods in your own life, with your own challenges.”

Laura Madrid, Spain
Designing for Change
Cohort Course

“Love the way IDEO sets up the course and encourages dialogue. I learn as much from my fellow participants as I do from the course content...double bonus!”

Amy New York, USA
Designing for Change
Cohort Course

“The learning experience has been delightful, the information is clear, the pace is just right, the material and resources are on point and guide you to conclusions effectively. I learned something new every week.”

Abir Lebanon
Designing for Change
Cohort Course

“I love the human-centered approach to problem solving that permeates throughout IDEO. The problem-solving techniques I've taken from this course fit perfectly with any technical or social problem I can imagine and any of my team or fellow problem solvers will benefit. Top quality course. Loved it!”

Ben Tasmania, Australia

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Enroll As a Team

The practice and application of design thinking, innovation, and creativity is highly collaborative and team based—which is why we believe that learning is better together. Take a course as a team and develop new skills and mindsets, have deeper discussion during course kickoff and debrief sessions, and build a shared understanding.

How to Enroll as a Team