Created in partnership with the Weitzman School and the Center for Social Impact Strategy at Penn’s School of Social Policy and Practice, the Executive Program for Social Innovation Design (XSD) is a non-credit certificate program that attracts design professionals looking to use their skills for positive change and non-profit professionals in mission-driven organizations seeking to use design thinking strategies to innovate. XSD students are creative optimists who are seeking meaning at the intersection of work and values, with each person developing an independent studio project as the culmination of the online courses during the program. This information session features a panel discussion with past participants.
Through the program, XSD learners engage in an iterative process guided by design thinking: changing how they frame problems, gathering information through interviews, prototyping, testing, storyboarding—challenging assumptions at every step. Solutions presented by our previous students include a financial literacy guide for young African-American women and a more efficient grocery cart. XSD learners have considered a wide range of issues, from “How might we make mental health resources accessible to more Asian-Americans?” to “How might we reduce turnover in affordable housing projects?”
There is a discount for those who apply by July 1. Study will be completely online and will begin on September 8, 2020. To apply, visit the XSD website https://www.design.upenn.edu/xsd.
Expand Image
