1. Entrepreneurshipand Design Thinking. Harvard SummerSchool, Pre -College Program. © JayT. Moody
Harvard Summer School Pre-College Program
Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking (MGMT P-15205)
Session I, June 29–July 10, 2015
Jay T Moody, Ph.D.
Email: jaymoody@fas.harvard.edu
Cell: 781.698.8405
Course Description
In this hands-on, activity-based course you will learn and practice cutting edge
methods of entrepreneurship. Working in small teams, you start by learning to
identify the problems and opportunities that constantly surround us. These form
the foundation of your new business idea. You then use design thinking methods to
develop a deep understanding of the problem, and to brainstorm and prototype
creative solutions. Following the lean startup methodology (a part of the Harvard
Business School curriculum), you learn to create a business model around your
solution and to run rapid experiments that quickly test its key assumptions. Based
on your findings, you strive to refine your ideas until your customers are beaming
with delight. The course wraps up with a Shark Tank-style elevator pitch of the idea
your team develops. Overall the course not only introduces you to the methods and
terminology of modern entrepreneurship, but should help you build skills that will
serve you lifelong, such as public speaking, problem solving, networking, and grit.
Reading Materials
(Linked materials arefreely availableonlineand do not need to be purchased.)
 The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, Crown Business, 2011. (required)
 The Innovation Catalysts by Roger L. Martin, Harvard Business Review, June 2011.
(https://hbr.org/2011/06/the-innovation-catalysts)
 The Innovator’s Solution, Chapter 2 by Clayton Christensen, Harvard Business
School Publishing Corp., 2003.
(http://www.hbs.edu/socialenterprise/pdf/TheInnovatorsSolutionChpt2.pdf)
 The One Number You Need to Grow by Frederick F. Reichheld, Harvard Business
Review, December 2003. (https://hbr.org/2003/12/the-one-number-you-need-to-grow)
 Design Kit by IDEO.org (a website). (http://www.designkit.org/methods)
Optional Background Reading
 A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future by Daniel H. Pink,
Riverhead Books, 2005.
 Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All by Tom Kelley
and David Kelley, Crown Business, 2013.

2. Entrepreneurshipand Design Thinking. Harvard SummerSchool, Pre -College Program. © JayT. Moody
Expectations of Students
 Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking are participatory activities. Much like soccer
or tennis or piano or violin, they are not learned only by reading a book, but also by
acting and doing, trying and failing, and trying again. Students should come
prepared to participate.
 To receive a strong evaluation, students must:
o participate actively,
o complete assignments and readings thoroughly and on-time,
o maintain a thorough “E-log” (entrepreneur log) that demonstrates taking
initiative (not just doing what you are told) to develop a stronger business,
and records problems and ideas daily, and
o deliver a well-organized, persuasive business pitch (or two or three).
Course Outline
(Caveat: Entrepreneurship always follows a crooked path! We will adaptas needed.)
1. Introductions to Entrepreneurship, Design Thinking, and each other. Practice
finding business problems by taking an empathetic view: see what others miss.
Social entrepreneurship and the Triple Bottom Line. How to record ideas, actions,
and inspiration in the E-log. Practice changing the world through the meme
exercise.
2. Going broad then getting narrow. Introduction to Fun Theory. Brainstorming
methods and practice – how to push the envelope. Using a 2X2 to narrow the focus.
Harvard Business Review on Intuit’s Innovation Catalyst program. Meme progress
reports. Continued collection of problems and ideas in the E-log.
3. Lean Startup theory and practice. Overview of the Business Model Canvas and the
NEXT Decision Tool. First pitches: initial business ideas. Idea selection and team
formation. Distinguishing a Vision from an Idea. Clarifying your idea: Customer,
Problem, Solution. Meme exercise results. Continued recording in E-log.
4. Isolating assumptions and designing experiments. Embracing ignorance: Know
what you don’t know. Finding your Leap of Faith. Get smart fast vs. get big fast.
The power of prototyping. Avoiding the say-do problem. Overview of experimental
methods. Recording predictions for maximum learning. Running first experiments.
E-log updates.
5. Innovation accounting and validated learning. From experiments to learning.
Pivot or persevere? Keeping the vision in focus. Second pitch round: the current
state of your start-up. E-log updates.

3. Entrepreneurshipand Design Thinking. Harvard SummerSchool, Pre -College Program. © JayT. Moody
6. Iterating through the Build-Measure-Learn loop: round two. Using validated
learning to set your priorities. Love metrics and the Net Promoter Score. Preparing
the next experiment. Introduction to future thinking. E-log updates.
7. Progress and Presentations. Future thinking exercise review. Death by
PowerPoint: How to give a compelling presentation. Sample elevator pitches.
Compiling learnings and preparing pitches. E-log updates.
8. Putting on the polish. Time to bring your business and presentations to the next
level. E-log updates.
9. Final Pitches! Put your best foot forward to convince the VCs that you deserve
funding to take your idea to the next stage.
10. Review and celebrate. Bringing the two weeks together. Understanding the
Innovator’s Dilemma. Turning your E-log into an asset for future growth. Final
questions and thoughts.