well-being

Health today is a paradox: we have more and more advanced medical capabilities and tremendous resources and technologies, yet more people than ever are suffering from heart disease, diabetes, obesity, depression and anxiety. How might we create a modern world in which humans can live healthy lives? This course focuses on the questions of 1) what makes people healthy? and 2) how can we design tools and environments that support healthy lifestyles? Key topics  include basic public health concepts, and the connection between 

evolutionary biology and health; the role of behavior in health, key tenets of behavioral economics and behavior change strategies; and systems thinking and systems design concepts. Students will come away with a much more sophisticated understanding of the complex system of factors and forces that affect people’s health; understanding of key systems concepts and some techniques for understanding systems; and experience designing for behavior at scale. In the final project, students reimagine/redesign a popular commercial service to have a more health-producing impact.

About Steve Downs:www.stevedowns.net/about