Course overview
All 12 Modules of Change Skills
- The Mental Toolset: Develop critical thinking and doing skills and tools for activating change through your own practice
- Systems Thinking: Develop your ability to understand and explore the dynamic systems at play around us, seeing how they interconnect and influence the larger wholes.
- Creative Interventions: Develop personalized practices in dynamically designing and intervening in systems for positive social change.
- Reflexivity: Develop reflexive thinking to build your innate ability to think through the circular relationships between cause and effect and help build creative autonomy.
- Problem Loving Mindset: Discover how every problem holds its own solution.
- Critical Thinking: Develop critical analysis skills for clear and rational thinking to intellectually evaluate and synthesize information through observation, experience, reflection, and reasoning, all of which guide belief and action.
Curriculum
What’s inside this Masterclass
The Disruptive Design Methodology is a knowledge set created to help you make change in the world around you. In order to identify your own pre-established thinking, restructure the relevance, and then build new knowledge, you need to hone in on your reflexive, critical and systems thinking skills. You need to initially establish what you think, develop a reflexive practice around challenging or questioning those thoughts, and then be able to construct new understandings from other perspectives and ideas in that arena.
Developed by sustainability provocateur and creative protagonist, designer, and sociologist, Dr. Leyla Acaroglu, the Disruptive Design Method is a holistic approach to complex problem solving that combines sociological inquiry methods with systems and design thinking approaches. It is a method of developing systems interventions that enact social and sustainable change.
This masterclass program is best suited for anyone with a cause who needs a useful toolkit to shift perspectives and affect change. Not only do you learn core concepts and skills in fun, manageable chunks, but you can really build your tacit knowledge through the deliberate layers of Disruptive Design learning.
Our programs are all about activating positive social change in the world around us and are not just for designers! The content is accessible to all current or soon-to-be change makers.
Discover how to activate positive social change through creative interventions with this introduction to the Disruptive Design Method. This is a 1-hour introductory class.
Modules
- Part 1: Introduction to The Disruptive Design Approach
- Part 2: The Mining Phase
- Part 3: The Landscaping Phase
- Part 4: The Building Phase
- Part 5: Applying the DDM
Learn the difference between our resource-draining 'take, make, waste' linear systems and the progressive circular economy movement that is regenerative and sustainable. This is a short introductory class.
Modules
- The Circular Economy
- Moving from Linear to Circular
- Circular Economy Principles
- Resource List
This course will prepare you to reframe sustainability, think critically about where and how impacts occur, to see past 'greenwashing', to start thinking in systems, to map life cycles, and to make more sustainable decisions.
Modules
- Part 1: What is Sustainability?
- Part 2: Life Cycle Thinking
- Part 3: Thinking in Systems
- Part 4: Busting Green Myths
- Part 5: Taking Action
- Resource List
Overcome linear thinking and unravel the interconnectedness of our world. This course will get your head around systems thinking and give you the tools you need to understand the complex social, industrial, and environmental systems at play.
Modules
- Part 1: What is Systems Thinking?
- Part 2: Identifying and Exploring Systems
- Part 3: Thinking in Systems
- Part 4: Systems Mapping Techniques
- Part 5: Systems Dynamics & Archetypes
- Resource List
How does one person make change? This course covers historical and contemporary theories on changemaking, explores what change means cognitively, socially, and personally, and develops your approach to enacting a change-based practice.
Modules
- Part 1: What is Change?
- Part 2: Historical and Contemporary Approaches to Making Change
- Part 3: Systems, Drivers and Tools for Change
- Part 4: Your Brain on Change
- Part 5: How to Make Change
- Resource List
This course covers a diverse selection of techniques for problem identification and exploration, helping you to develop exceptional research approaches for designing, enacting, and interpreting change.
Modules
- Part 1: What is Research?
- Part 2: Types of Research Approaches
- Part 3: Ethics in a Research Practice
- Part 4: Planning and Implementing Research Strategies
- Part 5: Change Based Research Practices
- Resource List
Discover how gamification and game theory impacts all of our lives with this course on how to employ game mechanics and understand the economic 'game theory' to design cerebrally-stimulating experiences that activate change.
Modules
- Part 1: What is Gamification?
- Part 2: What is Game Theory?
- Part 3: Human Motivators and Experience Design
- Part 4: The Mechanics and Mechanisms of Gamification
- Part 5: Designing Gamified Experiences
- Resource List
This course unpacks the inner workings of the human brain, the influence that neurochemicals and social norms have on us, cognitive dissonance, how to identify and recode biases that impede our thinking, and ways this helps make change.
Modules
- Part 1: How does the brain work?
- Part 2: Are Humans Rational?
- Part 3: Busting Cognitive Biases
- Part 4: Hacking Your Brain Through Cognitive Interventions
- Part 5: The Brain and Making Change
- Resource List
In this course, learn ethical frameworks, unpack the visceral and cognitive experience of empathy, explore relationships between ethics and empathy, gain tools for closing ethics gaps, and make more empathetic decisions in your work and life.
Modules
- Part 1: What are Ethics?
- Part 2: Ethics in Everyday Life
- Part 3: What is Empathy?
- Part 4: Ethics and Empathy as Design Tools
- Part 5: Practical Tools for Empathy Building
- Resource List
In this course, we explore the power of language and its subtle influence on us all. Become adept at concepts governing Moral Panics and logistical framing, and discover how to master storytelling for a positive impact.
Modules
- Part 1: The Power of Language
- Part 2: The Art of Persuasion
- Part 3: Moral Panics, Misdirection and Framing
- Part 4: Language as a System
- Part 5: Storytelling and Narratives that Make Change
- Resource List
In this course, take your understanding and application of systems thinking to the next level. Develop your theory of change and learn advanced techniques for leveraging change-making systems interventions.
Modules
- Part 1: Advanced Systems Thinking
- Part 2: Systems Modeling Tools
- Part 3: Developing a Theory of Change
- Part 4: Intervening in Systems
- Part 5: Tactics for Activating Systems Change
- Resource List
In this course on creative problem solving and ideation, generate more ideas using our 10 Golden Rules of Ideation and discover how to rapidly prototype for disruptive problem solving. This course goes beyond design thinking.
Modules
- Part 1: Introduction to Ideation and Creativity
- Part 2: Developing Divergent Thinking Practice
- Part 3: The 10 Golden Rules of Ideation
- Part 4: Prototyping
- Part 5: Ideation Practices and Creative Change Making
- Resource List
In this course, discover how to employ best-practice sustainability and eco-design strategies, learn how to embrace the circular economy, and activate a toolset that enables the development of sustainable products, services, and systems.
Modules
- Part 1: Introduction to the History of Sustainable Design
- Part 2: Sustainable & Circular Design Methods
- Part 3: Designing for the Circular Economy
- Part 4: Case Studies and Product Service System Models
- Part 5: Life Cycle Thinking, Materials and Waste Streams
- Resource List
In this course, learn how to activate your creative interventions and amplify your change-making projects out into the world, get over procrastination, and achieve greater reach and impact with these examples and tools.
Modules
- Part 1: Amplification and Activation Theory
- Part 2: How to get your projects off the ground
- Part 3: Project Planning and Activation
- Part 4: Amplifying Interventions
- Part 5: Making Change in the World
- Resource List
This program has been specifically curated for those who want to be guided through a 30-day brain-activating bootcamp around practical skills, applicable knowledge and positive rethinking tools. Covering Systems Thinking, Sustainability and more.
Modules
- Day 1: Agency
- Day 2: Reflection & Reflexivity
- Day 3: Sphere of Influence
- Day 4: Critical Thinking
- Day 5: Getting Shit Done
- Day 6: Ethics and Integrity
- Day 7: Systems Thinking
- Day 8: Systems At Play
- Day 9: Systems Mapping
- Day 10: Designing Interventions
- Day 11: Design and Creativity
- Day 12: Citizen Design
- Day 13: UnSustainability
- Day 14: Circular Economy
- Day 15: System Elements
- Day 16: Observation
- Day 17: Cause and Effect
- Day 18: Circular Design
- Day 19: Life Cycle Thinking
- Day 20: Circular ReDesign
- Day 21: Storytelling
- Day 22: Gamification
- Day 23: Game Design
- Day 24: Cognitive Bias
- Day 25: Cognitive Dissonance
- Day 26: Fixed vs Growth Mindset
- Day 27: Social Norms
- Day 28: Power
- Day 29: Making Change
- Day 30: Creative Change Plan
Activate your brain with all our digital handbooks on making change!
Materials
- E-Book: Tips & Tricks to Facilitate Change
- E-Book: Make Change
- E-Book: Disruptive Design Method Handbook
- E-Book: Circular Systems Design
- E-Book: Design Systems Change
Certification
Looking to advance further?
Feedback
Hear it from our Alumni
We have a large community of alumni around the world, who have participated in our live, hybrid and online programs.
Where magic happens
“The DDM is more well rounded than many of the methods that I have come across. It is not just another toolkit or stepwise approach but really encourages you to further define your individual changemaking skills and take ownership of them. You’re challenged in your mental models and belief systems and are given tools to be able to look beyond what you see at first sight. I believe this is key in being able to make change.”
Myrthe LantingSustainable Urban Developer
My brain went through a full renovation
“I learned and thought about so many different things at a depth and speed that I had not experienced before. Not only did I find this learning experience deeply gratifying, it made me realize how fun self-directed research and learning can be when you start to see the world through a systems thinking lens.”
Charlie ShipmanProduct Manager
World renowned expert training
Your instructor
An award-winning designer, sustainability provocateur, social scientist and entrepreneur, Leyla Acaroglu (PhD) developed the Disruptive Design Method and creates educational experiences, toolkits, and social enterprises that help design a sustainable, circular and regenerative future. Leyla is a mainstage TED speaker, LinkedIn Changemaker and was named UNEP Champion of the Earth in 2016 for her work in advancing science and innovation for sustainability. Leyla leads trainings around the world on activating positive social and environmental change through systems interventions.
Options and Pricing
Start now!
Get access to all 12 modules, bonus content, and handbooks on how to make change. Get ready to use your talents to create a better future that works for all of us!
What you get
- All 12 Modules of the Disruptive Design Method Masterclass
- 5 Handbooks on Change
- 2 Bonus Intro Courses
- 1 Bonus 30-Day Sprint
Find out if you are eligible for our Equity Access Scholarships
We work hard to balance providing reduced tuition for our programs, offering open source tools & resources, and generating enough revenue to maintain and innovate our programs. As a socially motivated business, we operate on a lean budget and work hard to distribute our resources to support our applicants in highest need. We offer limited scholarships to community members who would otherwise be unable to attend a program at all.
We encourage everyone to apply for scholarships if they feel that they would not be able to access programs otherwise. We are always working towards removing financial, physical, language and time barriers by offering scholarships, diverse international program locations, and online education and free content in a growing number of languages. We also offer additional access support for those identifying as from First Nations, Aboriginal, Native or other Indigenous communities.
Looking for custom training?
We offer custom designed educational and corporate training packages, workshops and curriculum projects. This can be delivered in any combination of live, live online, and hybrid formats to small or large teams. Reach out to discuss with one of our team members.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
All your questions, comments, queries and curiosities. Let us know if we need to add anything!
The Disruptive Design Method Masterclass program gives you access for one full year from the date of purchase.
We review requests for extensions on a case by case basis, and consider 3 month at a time extensions. Depending on the situation, there may or may not be a cost involved.
As our programs are based in action, it varies from person to person. The actual reading and watching time is easily manageable for someone working a full time job, however it may take longer to complete the activities. Most people manage to complete the DDM Masterclass in about a year, and dedicate a few hours a month to their course work. Others complete it in a sprint over a few months during time off. Each of the 12 modules has about 5 hours of viewing time.
We have closed captioning for the videos that are included in the program available in English. You can also use a browser (we recommend Chrome or Brave) to translate the written content on the screen into your preferred language.
Yes! Just tick the Gift box at checkout to write a message and send it to a lucky colleague or friend.
Yes! Just click on the Quantity button at checkout to enroll as many people as you need.
Still have questions?
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Send us a message.
