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Design Thinking for Digital Agriculture

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign via Coursera

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Overview

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Explore how design thinking and human-centered design can transform digital agriculture. In this course, you’ll learn how to identify unmet needs, empathize with stakeholders, and co-create innovative solutions for real-world challenges in agriculture. Through the lens of design thinking, you’ll be introduced to the tools and mindsets used to develop meaningful, user-centered technologies that serve farmers, researchers, and agribusiness professionals alike. You'll begin by developing a foundation in human-centered design mindsets and methods. From there, you’ll explore how digital technologies like precision agriculture tools and AI are reshaping food systems. You’ll learn to apply design thinking to these technologies—moving from problem framing to ideation, prototyping, and testing. Along the way, you’ll consider ethics, sustainability, stakeholder communication, and data storytelling. You’ll gain strategies to make complex digital tools more usable, equitable, and scalable within diverse agricultural communities. Whether you're in agtech, policy, research, or education, this course equips you to design with people—not just for them.

Syllabus

Orientation & Module 1: Intro to Human-Centered Design

Learn about the course by reviewing the course syllabus and meeting your instructor. Then, dive into module 1, where we will introduce learners to Human-Centered Design (HCD), its definition, processes, practices, and mindsets. It provides learners with the basic understanding of the two key HCD principles: 1) empathy and 2) iteration, as well as their application to innovative problem solving.

Module 2: Intro to Digital Agriculture & Precision Agriculture

Module 2 provides an overview of digital/precision agriculture technologies and their applications with a focus on connecting design thinking and digitization. Learners will develop skills through activities and assignments with the ultimate goal of integrating HCD and DT into their work regarding digital agriculture.

Module 3: Needs & Challenges of Farmers & Stakeholders in Digital Agriculture

Module 3 encourages learners to empathize with farmers and other stakeholders who are involved in the design and implementation of digital agriculture. This module will equip learners with the knowledge and skills to understand the needs and challenges faced by farmers and other stakeholders in the adoption and implementation of digital agriculture. By the end of this module, learners should be able to identify the unique needs and challenges of farmers and other stakeholders in various contexts and develop empathy towards their perspectives.

Module 4: From Ideas to Action

Module 4 utilizes design thinking principles to ideate and prototype solutions that address the needs and challenges of farmers and other stakeholders. Additionally, learners should be able to critically analyze the impact of digital agriculture solutions on the livelihoods of farmers and other stakeholders. Learners will also consider the ethical and sustainable implications of their design solutions.

Module 5: Scaling and Sustainability of Digital Agriculture Solutions

Module 5 will equip you with the strategies required to scale and sustain digital agriculture solutions effectively. This module will cover the essential concepts and strategies related to scaling and sustainability in the context of digital agriculture solutions. You will explore the factors influencing successful scaling, such as technology adoption, stakeholder engagement, and business models. You will also delve into the challenges and considerations involved in ensuring the sustainability of digital agriculture initiatives, including environmental impact, social equity, and economic viability. Through case studies, discussions, and hands-on activities, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of how to navigate the complexities of scaling and sustainability in the field of digital agriculture.

Module 6: Ethical Considerations in Digital Agriculture Solutions

Module 6 will allow you to explore the ethical considerations related to the design and implementation of digital agriculture solutions, enabling you to make informed and responsible decisions.