Learn to Solve
Complex Problems
A hands-on two-day Design Thinking programme for anyone who wants to understand real human needs — and build solutions that actually work.
📍 Umkhumbane Entrepreneurial Support Centre, 240 Harry Gwala Road, Wiggins, Durban
Register Your Place See What's IncludedFrom R3500 per person · Payment via PayFast · Certificate included
The same problem.
A different way of looking at it.
Most teams already know what their problems are. What's harder is understanding why those problems exist, who they actually affect, and which solutions will survive contact with reality. Design Thinking gives you the tools to do all three.
Start from the person, not the plan
Build solutions grounded in what users actually need — not what the policy assumed, or what looked good in a proposal.
Test ideas before they get expensive
Prototype and iterate cheaply. Find out what doesn't work in a two-day workshop instead of after a six-month rollout.
Think with people you don't usually work with
Some of the most valuable insights come from outside your team. Mixed cohorts create connections and perspectives you won't get in a silo.
A method you can actually use afterwards
Leave with a structured, replicable toolkit. No design background required — this process was built to work for everyone.
Ready to change how your team solves problems?
Secure Your Spot — 25 & 26 JuneR3500 per person · Limited places available
Built for problem-solvers across every sector
You don't need to work in design, tech, or innovation. If your work involves understanding people's needs and creating solutions that serve them, this programme is for you.
Government & Municipal
Service delivery teams, planners, and officials working on citizen-facing challenges
Corporate Teams
Product, operations, HR, and strategy teams looking to build more human-centred solutions
NGOs & Social Sector
Organisations designing programmes, services, or interventions for communities
Entrepreneurs & Startups
Founders and teams who want to validate ideas and build products users actually want
Academics & Educators
Researchers, lecturers, and educators looking to embed design thinking in their work
Individuals
Anyone who wants to think more clearly, creatively, and collaboratively about complex problems
Whoever you are — if you solve problems for people, this is for you.
Register NowIn-person · Durban · 25 & 26 June 2026
Five stages. One powerful framework.
The programme uses the globally recognised Stanford d.school Design Thinking model — proven in government labs, corporates, and universities worldwide, and adapted for the real challenges participants bring to the room.
Step into your users' shoes. Understand their real needs, frustrations, and experiences — not your assumptions about them.
Turn what you've learned into a sharp, actionable problem statement — the "How Might We" question that focuses your team.
Generate a wide range of creative solutions. Quantity before quality. Reverse brainstorming often unlocks the best ideas.
Build quick, tangible representations of your best ideas — storyboards, service maps, journey blueprints. No engineering required.
Present your prototype, gather structured feedback, and identify what to sharpen. Rich cross-team discussion is the norm.
The stages are iterative, not linear. Going back is not failure — it is the process working exactly as designed.
Experience all five stages using your own real challenges as the material.
Join the Next Cohort — 25 & 26 JuneR3500 per person · Certificate of Participation included
What two days looks like
Every cohort is shaped by a pre-session needs assessment. Before Day 1, your facilitator analyses the themes that emerge across participants and tailors the tools accordingly — so the programme is always relevant to the challenges actually in the room.
- The Stanford d.school Design Thinking framework — theory and practical application
- Empathy mapping, journey mapping, and affinity diagramming
- How to write a sharp "How Might We" problem statement
- Ideation techniques including reverse brainstorming
- Prototyping tools: storyboards, service blueprints, concept models
- Structured feedback and testing methods
- Energiser activities to keep teams engaged and creative
- Insights from participants across different sectors and organisations
- Certificate of Participation (both days required)
By the end you will have:
- Challenged your assumptions about who you're really solving for
- Reframed at least one real challenge you brought to the room
- Built and tested a prototype of a solution
- A replicable process you can facilitate with your own team
- New connections across sectors and organisations
- A certificate recognising your participation
Bring a real challenge. Leave with a new way to approach it.
Register for 25 & 26 JuneLimited to a small cohort — book early to secure your place
Led by Patrick Martel
Patrick is a practitioner, not just a teacher. Before every cohort, he sends participants a personalised needs assessment and analyses the themes that emerge — so Day 1 is built around your actual challenges, not a generic curriculum.
At the end of Day 1, he photographs every artefact created by the room — the sticky notes, empathy maps, and working materials. Overnight, he builds these into the Day 2 presentation alongside a mini-analysis of what emerged, what worked, and which prototyping tools best fit the cohort. Participants arrive on Day 2 to see their own work reflected back at them.
Participants consistently name his passion, knowledge, and adaptability as the standout feature of the programme.
What people say
Quotes collected from post-course feedback across multiple cohorts. All responses are anonymised.
It changed my way of thinking and my approach to problems.
Participant, corporate cohortIt reminded me that designing systems and services is for the receivers, not the designers. I went back to current projects to rework our approach.
Participant, municipal cohortThe try-and-fail-faster method is so beneficial. We don't always get it right the first time, but if we stay committed, we'll get there.
Participant, municipal cohortThe collaboration was perfect — we came from different directorates and I learned about processes I wasn't even aware of.
Participant, municipal cohortInsightful, engaging, and practical — more than theoretical. You don't need to be in IT to learn or implement design thinking.
Participant, corporate cohortThe course lead is passionate and knowledgeable. The accessibility and know-how of the facilitator made all the difference.
Participants, multiple cohortsJoin the next cohort and add your name to this list.
Register Now — 25 & 26 June 2026R3500 per person · Durban in-person · Certificate included
Everything you need to know before you book
Dates
25 & 26 June 2026
Both days required for certificate
Hours
09:00 – 15:30
Includes breaks and energiser activities
Venue
Umkhumbane Entrepreneurial Support Centre
240 Harry Gwala Road, Wiggins, Durban
Pre-work
Needs Assessment Form
Sent after registration — complete before Day 1
Certificate
Certificate of Participation
Awarded on completion of both days
Format
In-Person Only
Durban-based · No virtual option at this time
Payment & Registration
Registration is required to secure your place. Payment is processed securely via PayFast. Complete the registration form below and you will be directed to payment. Places are limited and confirmed only on receipt of payment.
Secure your place on the June cohort
Two steps to confirm your place. Fill in your details below, then complete payment via PayFast. Your registration is only confirmed once payment is received. A pre-session needs assessment will be sent to you separately — please complete it before Day 1.
09:00 – 15:30 daily
Certificate included
Step 1 — Your Registration Details
Fill in your details below. This tells us who you are, any dietary or access requirements, and gives us what we need to send your pre-session needs assessment and certificate.
Step 2 — Complete Your Payment
Payment is processed securely via PayFast. Your place is only confirmed once payment is received. You will receive a confirmation email from PayFast on completion.
Payments are processed securely via PayFast. You will receive an email confirmation once payment is complete. For queries or group bookings, contact info@innovate.durban.
Ready to think differently?
Join a cohort of problem-solvers from across Durban. Bring a real challenge. Leave with the tools and mindset to tackle it — and every one after it.
Register for 25 & 26 JuneQuestions? Get in touch · In-person · Durban · R3500 per person