Degree Name

Department

Experience Design and Management

College

Marriott School of Business

Defense Date

2026-03-06

Publication Date

2026-03-27

First Faculty Advisor

Dr. Camilla Hodge

First Faculty Reader

Dr. Jason McDonald

Honors Coordinator

Dr. Brian Hill

Keywords

instructional design, pedagogical design, collaborative design, experience design, human-centered design

Abstract

Typically, the only way for a professor to receive feedback on their course design is through running several iterations of a class across multiple semesters. This guide aims to establish an avenue for accelerated course design testing through faculty-student collaboration before it rolls out live for enrolled students. Using the design thinking framework and other human-centered design principles, faculty members collaborating with students can iterate course design elements to discover opportunities to enhance the learning experience. As they draw evidence-based conclusions from empathy data, accurately define objectives, ideate new solutions, prototype course element ideas, and test the prototypes with a student tester, faculty student collaborations can develop enhanced experiences at a relatively low time cost. If professors work with even a single student over the summer (or over another period with no live classes), they may gain invaluable insight and ideas for the design of a course. The process hereafter outlined aims to help facilitate productive, insightful faculty-student partnerships to test and iterate course designs.