Design Thinking with Problem Solving and Critical Thinking :MILVEST

Design Thinking is highly valuable for armed forces personnel, their families, and retirees as it equips them with a structured, creative approach to problem-solving that goes beyond traditional methods. Life after service often involves transitioning to civilian careers, starting businesses, or managing new personal challenges—situations where adaptability, innovation, and human-centered thinking are essential. Design Thinking encourages identifying real needs, generating practical yet creative solutions, and testing them effectively, making it an asset for career growth, entrepreneurship, and everyday problem-solving. For armed forces families, it also fosters resilience and resourcefulness, helping them navigate diverse environments with confidence and agility.

The course was conducted for Armed Forces members and their families from 12 Sep to 12 Oct 2025, in 12 online live sessions . The participants were further formed into collaborative teams. Alongside progress of the academic portion on the Design Thinking framework (and associated concepts of Problem Solving and Critical Thinking), the participants also worked on identified Team Projects . The course culminated with a high level of understanding of relevant concepts by each of participants, and impressive Team Presentations. The course was found highly relevant, and received strong recommendation by each participant. 

Course Objectives

Three objectives for the course are:

• To equip participants with a human-centered problem-solving framework to identify needs, generate innovative ideas, and develop practical solutions relevant to personal, professional, and entrepreneurial contexts. 
• To enhance adaptability and creative thinking skills to address challenges in transitioning from military to civilian life, business ventures, or family decision-making.
• To build collaborative and empathetic approaches that leverage teamwork, diverse perspectives, and user-focused design to create impactful, sustainable outcomes.