GNYHA and the Binghamton University Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering & Applied Science recently co-hosted Design Thinking in Health Care, the first of three virtual workshops on systems science/engineering techniques to adapt, innovate, and redesign health care in the age of COVID-19. The Watson School is a frequent collaborator with GNYHA’s Health Care Systems Engineering Community of Practice, a forum for systems engineers to share and learn about projects their peers are working on, and an opportunity to spread innovations and best practices.
Design Thinking is a “new way of working that helps teams solve really big real-world problems,” said instructor Michael Testani, the Director of Industrial Outreach and Continuing Professional Education and adjunct faculty at Binghamton University’s Watson School. Describing Design Thinking as a discipline grounded in values and principles, he noted that it involves thought-diverse teams using an innovative problem-solving framework to bring signature experiences to their customers. Mr. Testani—who teaches Systems Design, Agile Engineering & Design Thinking, and Project Management classes for the System Science and Industrial Engineering Department—also detailed how Design Thinking can surface unmet needs; reduce the risks associated with debuting new products, processes, and services; and generate truly revolutionary solutions.
Topics discussed included the foundational principles of Design Thinking, creative and critical thinking processes, the Design Thinking framework, several key practices of Design Thinking, how to use Design Thinking in health care, and resources for further reference and learning.
The next workshop in the series, Introduction to Agile, will be held on September 24. The third workshop, slated for October 8, will focus on SIR (Susceptible, Infected, and Recovered) modeling.