Sports Experience is an innovative learning journey that blends academic theory with real-world industry experience to design transformative fan experiences for sporting events.

Led by Dr. David Pierce from IUPUI and hospitality industry leader Sharyn Outtrim from fieldXperience,
this course aims to revolutionize sports management education and sports business practices through the application of design thinking principles.

Students will learn how to intentionally design fan experiences that enhance the human element of sporting events. The course culminates in a capstone project where students create a professional Fan Experience Strategy and Plan that will become a part of their portfolio for their career use.

OBJECTIVES:

• Understand the principles and process of design thinking
• Apply design thinking to sports management and fan experience design
• Develop creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills
• Gain practical tools and techniques for observation, interviews, empathy mapping, journey mapping, brainstorming, and idea prioritization
• Create a professional Fan Experience Strategy and Plan

STRUCTURE:

• The course consists of 24 lessons covering the four phases of the design thinking process: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver.
• Each lesson incorporates micro-lesson content from the FieldX platform and curated videos, articles, and templates to guide students through the design thinking process.
• Practical activities such as observation, interviews, empathy mapping, journey mapping, brainstorming, and idea prioritization are included.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:

• Various mindsets including embracing ambiguity, having a growth mindset, and empathy.
• Why design thinking is important, and how it differs from traditional problem-solving approaches.
• Design thinking in action, and the design thinking process.

THIS COURSE INCLUDES:

• 23 interactive micro-lessons
• 1 Capstone Project (Create a Fan Experience Strategy & Plan)
• 1 Micro-Assignment
• Digital Badge

TYPES OF MICRO-INTERNSHIP ROLES:

• Sports Innovation Design
• Sports Brand Design
• Sports Event Design
• Brand Ambassador
• UX Design
• Sports Marekting
• Sports Data Analyst
• Sports Research Analyst
• Sponsorship Activation
• Sports Innovation Strategy

POWER SKILLS FOCUS: