Virtual Session on Design Thinking

27th February 2025

Prof. (Dr.) Arpita Gupta, Dronacharya Group of Institutions, Greater Noida was invited as an expert speaker for virtual session on “Design Thinking”   on 27^th February 2025 at Vishweshwarya Group of Institutions. 

The session aimed to introduce the students to the concept of Design Thinking, an innovative and human-centered approach to problem-solving, and its application within the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. The session was structured to provide both theoretical insights and practical applications of Design Thinking. It was conducted via Microsoft Teams and saw active participation from the students. 

The primary objectives of the session were:

1. To introduce the concept of Design Thinkingto the students.
2. To explain the key stages involved in the Design Thinking process.
3. To discuss the role of Design Thinking in pharmacy practiceand healthcare innovation.
4. To showcase how Design Thinking can help in the development of pharmaceutical products, services, and solutions.
5. To engage students with real-world examples of Design Thinking in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry. 

The session covered the following aspects:

Introduction to Design Thinking:

1. The session began with an explanation of Design Thinking as a problem-solving methodologythat emphasizes understanding user needs, brainstorming innovative solutions, prototyping, and testing.

2. The five key stagesof Design Thinking were introduced: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. Each stage was explained in detail with emphasis on its significance in crafting solutions that address real-world problems.

Relevance to Pharmacy and Healthcare:

1. The application of Design Thinking within the pharmaceutical and healthcare industrieswas discussed, with specific examples illustrating how it has led to breakthroughs in drug development, patient care, and healthcare services.
2. Case studies of companies and organizations that successfully utilized Design Thinking to solve complex healthcare challenges were shared, demonstrating the impact of this approach.

Importance of Empathy:

One of the central themes was the importance of empathy in understanding the end user’s needs. The students were encouraged to think beyond technical aspects and focus on the user experience when designing healthcare solutions.

Q&A Session:

A dedicated Q&A session was held at the end of the session where students actively participated, asking questions related to the practical application of Design Thinking in their future careers as pharmacists. 

The students showed a high level of engagement throughout the session. Their participation in the hands-on activity demonstrated their understanding of Design Thinking principles. Many students expressed their enthusiasm for incorporating this approach into their future projects and pharmaceutical practices. 

The virtual session on Design Thinking successfully introduced pharmacy students to an innovative problem-solving methodology that can greatly enhance their problem-solving skills and creativity in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. By providing both theoretical knowledge and practical insights, the session helped students understand the importance of user-centered design in creating effective pharmaceutical solutions.