In amongst all the #sideprojects I do I also have a day job, and one of my workplace projects is about to come to fruition.

For the last 16 or so months I’ve been part of a team of University of Bristol academics and professional digital developers assembling a free four-week online course on the FutureLearn platform.

The trailer is now live!

From Feb 5th 2018 and three times a year from the Autumn of 2018 onward anyone can take this course for free. It’s 4 weeks long and roughly 3 hours a week of work. Taking the course involves reading and watching content online, participating in online discussions and other activities. There is no academic credit or certification – but it should still be both fascinating and useful.

The course covers:

• A historic overview of how ideas become innovations
• Insights into the habits of successful innovators
• Approaches and methods for understanding and categorising complex problems
• Techniques for structuring and solving problems
• Understanding ‘accidental’ invention and engineering your own luck
• Recognising different forms of innovation
• Idea-generation and evaluation techniques
• Using the Lean Startup method to test your ideas out
• How to network, influence, and pitch your ideas effectively

We’ve spoken to some great case studies – all Bristol alumni – and created some great resources.

I sincerely hope you enjoy it.

You can find out more here.