Thinking Design:
Models and Methods for Patient Centered & Student Centered Practices
For Healthcare Professionals, Educators & Students
10 October 2015 • Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Introductory Training for St Paul’s Hospital & St. Pauls Millennium Medical College
Attendees included provost, vice provost and all key heads of departments
The St. Paul’s Medical College and Hospital professional development was a full day participant centered 
training with a focus on implementing Thinking Design throughout the hospital and medical college with a goal of a patient centered approach (hospital) and student centered learning (medical college).
Introduction and Background
Thinking Design is a systems approach that uses practical research based methods to assure a healthy organization that supports and grows effective communication with and between leadership and the whole organization. It uses tools that smartly communicate ideas within and outside organization to create collaborations. It honors and understands the abilities and gifts of all members of an organization.
Thinking Design training uses the Thinking Design research based methods that include:
- Visual Tools (Thinking Maps) – the use of visual tools to map out ideas;
- Questioning for Inquiry – high quality use of questions and shared inquiry;
- Collaborative Networking – collaborative thinking; collegial coaching & community building methods;
- Developing Dispositions – characteristics, dispositions, habits of mind;
Designing a Thinking Environment — how the physical space is organized & resources are used.
Thinking Design methods are lifelong skills used for problem solving individually and collaboratively in the whole organization including leaders, professional and staff members.
To live fulfilling lives, people will need to develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions required to shape the lives they can imagine for themselves and their families. The thinking tools are instrumental in knowing oneself, connecting with others, and exploring pathways of successful collaborations supporting a healthy and success organization.
Thinking Designs Guide
The Thinking Design training is participant-centered learning with hands-on application using content that is relevant to the participants. The key pathway of the training is “Thinking Maps” which is a cognitive visual mapping language providing a concrete foundation to organize one’s thinking, understand each other’s thinking and each other’s perspectives (frame of reference). This maximizes an organization’s capacity to think, understand, and perform effectively to succeed individually as well as collaboratively.
Training Methodology: Thinking Maps® (Visual Tools)
Thinking Maps are consistent visual patterns linked directly to eight specific thought processes. By visualizing our thinking, we create concrete images of abstract thoughts. These patterns help the whole organization reach higher levels of critical and creative thinking individually and collaboratively. Thinking Maps establish a consistent language for thinking and problem solving.
Download the Thinking Designs Guide
