“More Than Just Design”: Real Reviews From IIT Delhi’s Design Thinking and Innovation Learners
- “Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.”- Priya Singh
- “It’s helped me see myself differently.”- Ashlesha Baruah
- “Design Thinking thrives on the integration of divergent perspectives.”- Tanya Bali
- “You’re constantly designing solutions.”- Pratik Bhatnagar
- A Learning Experience That Builds Better Innovators—and Better Humans
Design isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about empathy, systems thinking, and real-world problem-solving. That’s the insight echoed across reviews from participants of the IIT Delhi Design Thinking and Innovation Programme, a 20-week certificate course designed to help professionals rethink how they approach complexity, creativity, and collaboration.
We spoke to four participants of the program—each with a unique background and reason for joining. Their stories are proof of how powerful design thinking can be when applied not just to products, but to people, careers, and perspectives.
“Fall in love with the problem, not the solution.”- Priya Singh
For Priya Singh, Sr. UX Designer working for Ocean Technologies Group, with a passion for human-centered design, this quote became more than a mantra—it became a mindset shift.
“True innovation begins not with answers, but with curiosity. It’s a practice of humility to pause, listen, and see the world through another’s eyes.”
Through the IIT Delhi Design Thinking & Innovation course, Priya found herself reconnecting with the core essence of design—not as a tool for quick fixes, but as a way to deeply understand problems before rushing to solve them.
“This journey wasn’t just about frameworks—it was about unlearning certainty and embracing curiosity… empathy isn’t a step in the process; it’s the soul of design.”
Grateful to her mentor Prof. Vijayaraghavan Chariar and the collaborative learning environment, Priya recommends the course to “anyone seeking to design with intention, to lead with empathy, and to innovate with purpose.”See Priya Singh’s LinkedIn Post here.
“It’s helped me see myself differently.”- Ashlesha Baruah
For Ashlesha Baruah, who is the Regional Design Lead for Curefit, enrolling in the programme was about finding a new lens—not just for work, but for self-discovery.
“When I decided to go ahead with the Design Thinking and Innovation programme by IIT Delhi, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was looking for. I just knew I needed a new perspective.”
From identifying as a “perfectionist procrastinator” to becoming someone who ideates confidently and prototypes boldly, Ashlesha credits the course with helping her shed mental blocks and embrace a growth mindset.
“It’s not just about sticky notes and frameworks—it’s about rewiring how you think, feel, and respond to challenges.”
But it wasn’t just personal growth. She speaks highly of the DTI community: “A vibrant mix of thinkers, doers, dreamers, and disruptors… The connections we’ve built feel like they’ll last a lifetime.
“Design Thinking thrives on the integration of divergent perspectives.”- Tanya Bali
Tanya Bali brings a philosophical perspective to the process, describing the harmony between logic and empathy, data and intuition—qualities that Design Thinking helps unify.
“Whether you’re an engineer, a designer, a social scientist, an entrepreneur, or a home-maker—this course helps you learn how to approach complex problems with creativity, empathy, and purpose.”
For her, the programme at IIT Delhi wasn’t just about acquiring new tools. It was about applying those tools to real-world challenges in a human-centered way.
“It combines real-world challenges, hands-on learning, and interdisciplinary teamwork to help participants build solutions that are not just clever, but meaningful, inclusive, sustainable, humane.”
Tanya encourages people from all walks of life to apply. “If you’re curious about how ideas take shape and how collaboration can lead to real innovation—DTI is for you.”See Tanya Bali’s LinkedIn post here.
“You’re constantly designing solutions.”- Pratik Bhatnagar
With a background in global governance and sustainability, Pratik Bhatnagar, Global Health and Governance Leader, joined the programme with decades of international experience. Yet, he found himself transformed.
“Even with all the experience I’ve had in my long, diverse, global career, I didn’t expect a course to fundamentally reshape how I think. But the Design Thinking & Innovation programme at IIT Delhi did exactly that.”
For Pratik, the power of Design Thinking lies in asking better questions, listening deeply, and co-creating with empathy.
“Too often, I’ve seen the reverse—where solutions precede real understanding. Design Thinking flips that script.”
His Capstone project explored cognitive fatigue in the AI age, but his biggest takeaway was even broader:
“Beyond better ‘thinking’ there are ways to ‘see’ more clearly, ‘feel’ deeper, and eventually ‘do’ more joyfully.”
He recommends the programme “wholeheartedly” for its depth, mentorship, and the unwavering emphasis on designing with people—not just for them.
A Learning Experience That Builds Better Innovators—and Better Humans
Across the board, participants of this 20-week IITD Design Thinking and Innovation Programme describe the it as much more than a professional upskilling opportunity. For many, it marked a turning point in how they saw their work, their impact, and themselves.
The programme, offered by one of India’s top institutions—IIT Delhi—is structured to be hands-on, project-based, and deeply rooted in solving real-world problems with empathy and creativity. It’s open to professionals from all fields, whether you’re a seasoned policymaker, a budding designer, or someone simply looking to lead with more purpose.
As these stories show, Design Thinking is more than a framework. It’s a way of seeing the world—and changing it.
Ready to rethink your approach to innovation?
Explore the IIT Delhi Design Thinking and Innovation Programme and read more IITD Design Thinking and Innovation reviews to hear how others are reimagining the future, one problem at a time.
