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Alex Cowan
Despite everyone's good intentions, hard work and solid ideas, too many teams end up creating products that no one wants, no one can use, and no one buys. But it doesn't have to be this way. Agile and design thinking offer a different--and effective--approach to product development, one that results in valuable solutions to meaningful problems. In this course, you’ll learn how to determine what's valuable to a user early in the process--to frontload value--by focusing your team on testable narratives about the user and creating a strong shared perspective.
Read more
Despite everyone's good intentions, hard work and solid ideas, too many teams end up creating products that no one wants, no one can use, and no one buys. But it doesn't have to be this way. Agile and design thinking offer a different--and effective--approach to product development, one that results in valuable solutions to meaningful problems. In this course, you’ll learn how to determine what's valuable to a user early in the process--to frontload value--by focusing your team on testable narratives about the user and creating a strong shared perspective.
Read more
Despite everyone's good intentions, hard work and solid ideas, too many teams end up creating products that no one wants, no one can use, and no one buys. But it doesn't have to be this way. Agile and design thinking offer a different--and effective--approach to product development, one that results in valuable solutions to meaningful problems. In this course, you’ll learn how to determine what's valuable to a user early in the process--to frontload value--by focusing your team on testable narratives about the user and creating a strong shared perspective.
This course is supported by the Batten Institute at UVA’s Darden School of Business. The Batten Institute’s mission is to improve the world through entrepreneurship and innovation: www.batteninstitute.org.
Register for this course and see more details by visiting:
OpenCourser.com/course/yecwl9/agile
What's inside
Syllabus
Problems Agile Solves
The agile practices that deliver excellent product are well understood, but they take focus, energy, and confidence to apply. This week, we’ll identify what’s hard about creating excellent products and how agile can help. We'll begin with a discussion of the Agile Manifesto- what motivated it and how it defines agile. Then we’ll get into the practical part- the problems agile solves, how to focus your time and energy, and how you’ll know if your practice of agile is working.
Read more
Syllabus
Problems Agile Solves
The agile practices that deliver excellent product are well understood, but they take focus, energy, and confidence to apply. This week, we’ll identify what’s hard about creating excellent products and how agile can help. We'll begin with a discussion of the Agile Manifesto- what motivated it and how it defines agile. Then we’ll get into the practical part- the problems agile solves, how to focus your time and energy, and how you’ll know if your practice of agile is working.
Read more
Focusing Your Agile with Personas, Jobs-to-be-Done, and Alternatives
The best way to avoid building something nobody wants is to start with somebody in mind. In the design world, we talk about that "somebody" through a ‘persona’. Personas and problem scenarios (aka 'jobs-to-be-done') focus development on driving toward a valuable outcome for your user vs. just generating output. In this module, you’ll learn to focus your work by developing personas, problem scenarios, and alternatives using best practices from design thinking.
Getting to Great Agile User Stories
Now we’re going to transition from drafting personas and hypothesizing user needs to testing those assumptions and translating what you’ve learned into agile user stories. We’ll step through how you create an interview guide to ask your users the right questions and then we’ll dive into agile user stories. User stories are a standard feature of agile and serve as a day-to-day focal point for driving to value.
Focusing on Customer Value with User Stories
The agile user story is your day-to-day focal point for making sure you’re building something valuable for your user. It’s how you discuss that within your team and how you anchor your subsequent testing. In this module, you’ll learn how to facilitate the creation and use of stories within your team.
Good to know
Good to know
Know what's good ,
what to watch for , and
possible dealbreakers
Teaches the fundamentals of developing valuable products through thoughtful customer research and agile methodologies, suitable for entrepreneurs and innovators looking to enhance their understanding of product development
Leverages practices and frameworks from design thinking, which enhance user-centric design approaches for developing innovative products
Provides a practical approach to product development, with an emphasis on identifying and solving user problems, making it relevant for those seeking to develop impactful solutions
Integrates industry-standard techniques such as user stories and personas, offering valuable insights for product managers and development teams seeking to improve their agile practices
Facilitates the development of a deep understanding of agile methodologies and their application in product development, beneficial for individuals seeking to enhance their agile skillset
Emphasizes the importance of focusing on user value and outcomes throughout the product development process, catering to professionals aiming to create user-centric products
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Save Agile Meets Design Thinking to your list so you can find it easily later:
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Reviews summary
Agile meets design thinking
learners say this course provides a broad overview of how agile principles and design thinking can be combined to focus on personas and user stories as the starting point for developing digital solutions. The course includes videos, readings, assignments, quizzes, and a peer-reviewed final project. Overall, it is highly-rated for being well-organized, informative, and immediately applicable in a variety of fields.
Concepts and instructions are presented in a straightforward manner, making the course accessible to learners with varying levels of prior knowledge.
"I had no prior knowledge of AGILE and this course helped me to define what is AGILE, what changes propose, what values propose, what hinders them, and how to develop and think about my users and coworkers in a more thoughtful way."
"I enjoyed learning about the concepts and skills needed to understand the Agile process. The quizzes and end project were effective to help develop my understanding."
"I really enjoyed the material and the instructor. The course was well organized and the instructor offered great insights and expanded on the "why" in addition to the "how"."
Alex Cowan, the instructor, is highly praised for his ability to explain complex concepts clearly and engagingly, making the learning process enjoyable and effective.
"Great professor, extremely didactic explanations! I really liked the course and I feel much more comfortable and prepared to work with Agile!"
"Excellent course with the perfect lecturer Mr.Alexander Cowan. Many thanks for the great time which I have passed with the content of this course."
"Alex Cowan explica la materia de forma muy amena y cercana, el curso es muy interesante, ideal para profundizar en el mundo AGIL"
Provides a real-world approach through interactive exercises, case studies, and scenarios, enabling learners to apply concepts immediately.
"Excellent. A platform, a university and the professor that together consegue transmit security, atualização and knowledge. Parabéns a todos!"
"The videos are interesting and easy to follow and learn from. The Guide for assignment helped a lot."
"Really useful for giving an early insight into a career in tech and lots of transferrable skills that can be used in any team environment."
Incorporates design thinking to understand users' perspectives, needs, and context, resulting in better personas and problem scenarios.
"This course is was exactly what I needed. The knowledge gained will always come in handy in the field. Thank you Coursera and Alex."
"I learned a lot about how to create a good user persona, problem scenarios, value prepositions, user stories, etc. This is the first time I learn about it and the lectures are easy to understand. I really enjoy the learning journey. Thank you!"
"I absolutely recommend this course for anyone who wants to work as Product owner or understand the working of Product development in detail, starting from nothing and building and adding creative solutions that concisely solve a problem rather than solve non-issues."
Some learners found the course to be a bit too long, especially towards the end when topics were covered more quickly, but overall the pacing was considered appropriate.
"The first few weeks is very dry and difficult to get through. After week one, things definitely picked up and felt more understandable, and far less dry."
"Towards the end, the skits became a repetition of content already discussed during the lecture. Also, the mid-lecture questions always had the correct answer as the first option."
"I felt that the course material was good. I like that you can save slides as notes for reference later.. the peer reviewing of the assignment is a bit of a joke though."
Activities
Be better prepared
before
your course. Deepen your understanding
during
and
after
it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered
in Agile Meets Design Thinking with these
activities:
Participate in an agile hackathon
Show steps
Put your agile skills to the test and learn from others by participating in an agile hackathon.
Browse courses on
Agile
Show steps
-
Find an agile hackathon that aligns with your interests.
-
Form a team and develop a project idea.
-
Work together to build a solution to the challenge.
-
Present your solution to the judges and get feedback.
Attend an agile conference
Show steps
Expand your knowledge and network with industry experts by attending an agile conference.
Browse courses on
Agile
Show steps
-
Research different agile conferences to find one that fits your interests and needs.
-
Register for the conference and make travel arrangements.
-
Attend the conference sessions and workshops.
-
Network with other attendees and learn from their experiences.
Explore agile methodologies
Show steps
Gain a deeper understanding of agile methodologies to improve your ability to manage projects effectively.
Browse courses on
Agile
Show steps
-
Read articles and watch videos about different agile methodologies.
-
Attend a workshop or training session on agile.
-
Experiment with using an agile methodology on a small project.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create a customer persona
Show steps
Focus your team on a specific user persona early in the process to avoid creating a product no one wants.
Browse courses on
Personas
Show steps
-
Interview potential customers to gather data on their needs, goals, and pain points.
-
Identify common themes and patterns in the data to create a representative persona.
-
Use the persona to guide your product development decisions.
Develop an agile user story
Show steps
Learn how to craft clear and concise user stories to drive your agile product development process.
Browse courses on
User Stories
Show steps
-
Identify the user and their need.
-
Write a statement that describes the user's goal in the form of a benefit.
-
Keep the user story concise and focused on a single task.
Contribute to an open-source agile project
Show steps
Gain practical experience and contribute to the agile community by working on an open-source agile project.
Browse courses on
Agile
Show steps
-
Find an open-source agile project that you are interested in.
-
Read the project documentation and familiarize yourself with the codebase.
-
Identify an area where you can contribute to the project.
-
Submit a pull request with your changes.
Run usability tests
Show steps
Enhance the user experience of your product by identifying and addressing usability issues.
Browse courses on
User Testing
Show steps
-
Recruit participants who represent your target audience.
-
Create a set of tasks that the participants will complete.
-
Observe the participants as they complete the tasks and note any difficulties or frustrations.
-
Use the results of the usability test to improve the design and functionality of your product.
Participate in an agile hackathon
Show steps
Put your agile skills to the test and learn from others by participating in an agile hackathon.
Browse courses on
Agile
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Find an agile hackathon that aligns with your interests.
- Form a team and develop a project idea.
- Work together to build a solution to the challenge.
- Present your solution to the judges and get feedback.
Attend an agile conference
Show steps
Expand your knowledge and network with industry experts by attending an agile conference.
Browse courses on
Agile
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Research different agile conferences to find one that fits your interests and needs.
- Register for the conference and make travel arrangements.
- Attend the conference sessions and workshops.
- Network with other attendees and learn from their experiences.
Explore agile methodologies
Show steps
Gain a deeper understanding of agile methodologies to improve your ability to manage projects effectively.
Browse courses on
Agile
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Read articles and watch videos about different agile methodologies.
- Attend a workshop or training session on agile.
- Experiment with using an agile methodology on a small project.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create a customer persona
Show steps
Focus your team on a specific user persona early in the process to avoid creating a product no one wants.
Browse courses on
Personas
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Interview potential customers to gather data on their needs, goals, and pain points.
- Identify common themes and patterns in the data to create a representative persona.
- Use the persona to guide your product development decisions.
Develop an agile user story
Show steps
Learn how to craft clear and concise user stories to drive your agile product development process.
Browse courses on
User Stories
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Identify the user and their need.
- Write a statement that describes the user's goal in the form of a benefit.
- Keep the user story concise and focused on a single task.
Contribute to an open-source agile project
Show steps
Gain practical experience and contribute to the agile community by working on an open-source agile project.
Browse courses on
Agile
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Find an open-source agile project that you are interested in.
- Read the project documentation and familiarize yourself with the codebase.
- Identify an area where you can contribute to the project.
- Submit a pull request with your changes.
Run usability tests
Show steps
Enhance the user experience of your product by identifying and addressing usability issues.
Browse courses on
User Testing
Show steps
Show steps
Show steps
- Recruit participants who represent your target audience.
- Create a set of tasks that the participants will complete.
- Observe the participants as they complete the tasks and note any difficulties or frustrations.
- Use the results of the usability test to improve the design and functionality of your product.
Career center
Learners who complete Agile Meets Design Thinking will develop knowledge and skills
that may be useful to these careers:
Product Manager
Product Manager
Product Managers are responsible for ensuring that a product meets the needs of its users. They work with engineers, designers, and other stakeholders to define the product's vision and roadmap. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course can help Product Managers develop the skills they need to create successful products. The course teaches how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products, and how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience. These skills are essential for Product Managers who want to create products that people love.
User Experience Designer
User Experience Designer
User Experience Designers (UX Designers) are responsible for designing the user interface and experience for products. They work with Product Managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure that the product is easy to use and enjoyable. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course can help UX Designers develop the skills they need to create successful products. The course teaches how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience, and how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products. These skills are essential for UX Designers who want to create products that people love.
Scrum Master
Scrum Master
Scrum Masters are responsible for facilitating Scrum teams. They work with teams to ensure that they are following Scrum principles and practices, and to remove any obstacles that may prevent the team from being successful. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course can help Scrum Masters develop the skills they need to be successful. The course teaches how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products, and how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience. These skills are essential for Scrum Masters who want to help teams create successful products.
Software Engineer
Software Engineer
Software Engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and testing software. They work with Product Managers, UX Designers, and other stakeholders to create software that meets the needs of users. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course can help Software Engineers develop the skills they need to create successful software. The course teaches how to use agile practices to deliver valuable software, and how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience. These skills are essential for Software Engineers who want to create software that people love.
Design Researcher
Design Researcher
Design Researchers are responsible for conducting research to understand the needs of users. They work with Product Managers, UX Designers, and other stakeholders to create products that meet the needs of users. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course can help Design Researchers develop the skills they need to create successful products. The course teaches how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience, and how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products. These skills are essential for Design Researchers who want to create products that people love.
Agile Coach
Agile Coach
Agile Coaches are responsible for helping teams adopt and implement agile practices. They work with teams to identify and overcome challenges, and to improve their productivity. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course can help Agile Coaches develop the skills they need to be successful. The course teaches how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products, and how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience. These skills are essential for Agile Coaches who want to help teams create successful products.
Product Designer
Product Designer
Product Designers are responsible for designing the overall look and feel of a product. They work with Product Managers, UX Designers, and other stakeholders to create products that are both beautiful and functional. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course can help Product Designers develop the skills they need to create successful products. The course teaches how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience, and how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products. These skills are essential for Product Designers who want to create products that people love.
Interaction Designer
Interaction Designer
Interaction Designers are responsible for designing the way that users interact with products. They work with Product Managers, UX Designers, and other stakeholders to create products that are easy to use and enjoyable. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course can help Interaction Designers develop the skills they need to create successful products. The course teaches how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience, and how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products. These skills are essential for Interaction Designers who want to create products that people love.
Business Analyst
Business Analyst
Business Analysts are responsible for understanding the business needs of an organization and translating those needs into technical requirements. They work with Product Managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to ensure that software meets the needs of the business. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course can help Business Analysts develop the skills they need to be successful. The course teaches how to use agile practices to deliver valuable software, and how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience. These skills are essential for Business Analysts who want to help organizations create successful software products.
Content Designer
Content Designer
Content Designers are responsible for creating the written content for products. They work with Product Managers, UX Designers, and other stakeholders to ensure that the content is clear, concise, and informative. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course may be useful for Content Designers who want to learn how to use agile practices to deliver valuable content. The course teaches how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products, and how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience. These skills may be helpful for Content Designers who want to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their work.
Data Analyst
Data Analyst
Data Analysts are responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. They work with stakeholders to identify trends and patterns, and to make recommendations for improvements. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course may be useful for Data Analysts who want to learn how to use agile practices to deliver valuable insights. The course teaches how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products, and how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience. These skills may be helpful for Data Analysts who want to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their work.
Information Architect
Information Architect
Information Architects are responsible for designing the structure and organization of information. They work with Product Managers, UX Designers, and other stakeholders to ensure that information is easy to find and use. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course may be useful for Information Architects who want to learn how to use agile practices to deliver valuable information architectures. The course teaches how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products, and how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience. These skills may be helpful for Information Architects who want to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their work.
User Researcher
User Researcher
User Researchers are responsible for conducting research to understand the needs of users. They work with Product Managers, UX Designers, and other stakeholders to create products that meet the needs of users. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course may be useful for User Researchers who want to learn how to use agile practices to deliver valuable research insights. The course teaches how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products, and how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience. These skills may be helpful for User Researchers who want to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their work.
Visual Designer
Visual Designer
Visual Designers are responsible for designing the visual elements of products. They work with Product Managers, UX Designers, and other stakeholders to create products that are both beautiful and functional. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course may be useful for Visual Designers who want to learn how to use agile practices to deliver valuable visual designs. The course teaches how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products, and how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience. These skills may be helpful for Visual Designers who want to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their work.
Project Manager
Project Manager
Project Managers are responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. They work with stakeholders to define project goals, develop project plans, and track project progress. The Agile Meets Design Thinking course may be useful for Project Managers who want to learn how to use agile practices to deliver successful projects. The course teaches how to use agile practices to deliver valuable products, and how to use design thinking to focus on the user experience. These skills may be helpful for Project Managers who want to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their projects.
For more career information including salaries, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/yecwl9/agile
Reading list
We've selected 13 books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Agile Meets Design Thinking.
Introduces the principles and practices of design thinking, a human-centered approach to problem-solving that emphasizes empathy, creativity, and experimentation. It great resource for anyone looking to learn how to apply design thinking to their own work.
Save
Provides a practical guide to user story mapping, a technique for visualizing and prioritizing the features of a product or service. It valuable resource for anyone looking to learn how to create user stories that are clear, concise, and actionable.
Classic in the field of design, and it provides a wealth of insights into how to design products and services that are both useful and enjoyable to use. It must-read for anyone looking to learn more about the principles of good design.
Provides a step-by-step guide to customer development, a process for testing your business ideas and assumptions with real customers. It valuable resource for anyone looking to learn how to validate their business ideas and increase their chances of success.
Provides a practical guide to value proposition design, a process for creating products and services that are valuable to customers. It valuable resource for anyone looking to learn how to create value propositions that are clear, concise, and persuasive.
Provides a comprehensive overview of agile development, including the principles, practices, and tools of agile. It valuable resource for anyone looking to learn more about agile development and how to apply it to their own projects.
Save
Classic in the field of Scrum, and it provides a detailed overview of the Scrum framework. It valuable resource for anyone looking to learn more about Scrum and how to implement it in their own organization.
Provides a comprehensive overview of Kanban, a visual management system for tracking work in progress. It valuable resource for anyone looking to learn more about Kanban and how to use it to improve their workflow.
Save
Provides a practical guide to design thinking, a human-centered approach to problem-solving that emphasizes empathy, creativity, and experimentation. It valuable resource for anyone looking to learn more about design thinking and how to apply it to their own work.
Provides a practical guide to the Lean Product Process, a framework for developing products that are valuable to customers. It valuable resource for anyone looking to learn more about the Lean Product Process and how to apply it to their own products.
Presents a framework for building successful businesses based on the principles of lean manufacturing. It teaches readers how to test their hypotheses quickly and cheaply, and how to iterate and improve their products and services based on feedback from customers.
Tells the story of Pixar Animation Studios, and how it has become one of the most successful animation studios in the world. It great read for anyone looking to learn about the importance of creativity, innovation, and collaboration.
Explains why successful companies often fail to innovate, and how they can overcome this challenge. It valuable read for anyone looking to understand the dynamics of innovation and how to create a culture of innovation within their organization.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/course/yecwl9/agile
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Effort
5 weeks of study, 2 - 5 hours/week
Level
Introductory
Via
Coursera
Institution
University of Virginia
Instructor
Alex Cowan
Language
English
Transcripts
Español
Français
Português
Deutsch
Italiano
中文
العربية
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فارسی
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آذربایجان دیلی
Good to know
Teaches the fundamentals of developing valuable products through thoughtful customer research and agile methodologies, suitable for entrepreneurs and innovators looking to enhance their understanding of product development
Leverages practices and frameworks from design thinking, which enhance user-centric design approaches for developing innovative products
Provides a practical approach to product development, with an emphasis on identifying and solving user problems, making it relevant for those seeking to develop impactful solutions
Integrates industry-standard techniques such as user stories and personas, offering valuable insights for product managers and development teams seeking to improve their agile practices
Facilitates the development of a deep understanding of agile methodologies and their application in product development, beneficial for individuals seeking to enhance their agile skillset
Emphasizes the importance of focusing on user value and outcomes throughout the product development process, catering to professionals aiming to create user-centric products
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