In this course we are unpacking what design leadership is and why it is important for organisations. Design, and in particularly design thinking, have gained attention on strategic management levels. Some of the promises are that a designerly approach in the innovation process can help companies in digital transformation, and to develop proposals that meet consumers’ needs, dreams and wants; to name a few applications.

Design becoming part of the management discourse raises several questions. What characterises design leadership? How does design thinking differ from traditional management thinking? How can a designerly way of thinking and working contribute to the top management of an organisation?  What are the present hinderances where designers come up short in a management role?

The course is explorative in its nature. We have so far only scratched the surface of what design might contribute with in a management context. Therefore, the aim of the course is twofold: first to unpack current knowledge within the field of design leadership, but also to contribute to the further development of it.