7-Day Full Immersion · Design Innovation Centre, IIT Hyderabad
Seven days on campus. One credential. One problem solved.
For senior professionals who cannot commit to 12 weeks but want the same IIT Hyderabad credential — and the intensity of a residential programme that compresses the full arc into one focused week.
IIT Hyderabad certified
Residential · on IIT campus
₹1.5 L · same credential
7 days · 6 nights
10 participants
Next immersion: October 2026 · 6 places remaining · Applications close 1 September
Reserve your place
This cohort is capped at 10. We will confirm your application within 48 hours.
6 of 10 places remaining · Applications close 1 September
You will receive a pre-immersion briefing pack two weeks before the programme begins.
7
days · residential
IIT
Hyderabad certified
10
participants · curated
₹1.5L
same as 12-week
Jury
IIT faculty evaluation
Oct
2026 · next intake
Who this format is for
Same rigour. Different pace.
The 7-day immersion delivers the same IIT Hyderabad credential and the same jury-evaluated diploma as the 12-week programme — compressed into a residential week on campus. It is designed for senior executives, founders, and business leaders who cannot sustain 12 weeks of part-time engagement but can commit fully to seven consecutive days.
01
Executives who cannot do 12 weeks
CXOs, MDs, and senior directors who travel frequently or lead large teams. Seven planned days away from the office is manageable in a way that 12 weeks of evening commitment is not.
02
Founders with a live challenge
Entrepreneurs with a specific, urgent problem — a product launch, a service redesign, a market pivot. The immersion format allows you to work on it intensively, with IIT faculty and peers in the room.
03
Leaders who learn by doing, not watching
Professionals who find online learning passive and want the energy of a residential studio — the same culture that characterises programmes at ISB, IIM, and the world’s leading executive education campuses.
Programme schedule
Seven days. The full arc.
Participants arrive with a defined challenge. The week moves from discovery to definition to design to presentation — with IIT faculty in the room throughout. The final jury takes place on Day 7.
Day 1 · Mon
Morning · 9 am – 1 pm
Orientation and challenge framing
Programme induction. Each participant presents their challenge. Faculty-led session on design as a management discipline and the week’s methodology arc.
Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm
Stakeholder mapping and context analysis
Structured group work. Each participant maps the actors, pressures, and constraints around their challenge. First peer review session.
Day 2 · Tue
Morning · 9 am – 1 pm
Research and insight generation
Field inquiry methods. Structured interviews with stakeholders — real conversations arranged in advance or conducted on campus with invited guests. Synthesis in the afternoon.
Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm
Insight to opportunity
Translating research findings into design opportunities. Opportunity framing, brief writing, and faculty critique. First individual mentor session, 45 minutes.
Day 3 · Wed
Morning · 9 am – 1 pm
Concept generation and selection
Facilitated ideation with DIC faculty. Multiple concepts generated, stress-tested against the brief, and narrowed to one direction. Business model implications examined.
Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm
Value proposition and viability
Structured session on value proposition design. Participants articulate the commercial and organisational case for their chosen direction. Mid-week peer critique.
Day 4 · Thu
Morning · 9 am – 1 pm
Prototype and test
DIC fabrication labs and prototyping studios open. Participants build a working representation of their solution — physical, digital, or service. First round of structured user testing.
Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm
Iteration and refinement
Incorporating test findings. Second mentor session. Participants revise their prototype and begin structuring the final presentation narrative.
Day 5 · Fri
Morning · 9 am – 1 pm
AI and systems analysis
Session on AI as a strategic design tool — applied to each participant’s project. Second-order effects analysis: mapping systemic consequences of the proposed solution.
Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm
Guest session and open studio
Lecture by an IIT researcher or senior industry practitioner. Open studio time for project work and pre-jury rehearsal. Third and final mentor session.
Day 6 · Sat
Morning · 9 am – 1 pm
Documentation and process book
Completing the formal documentation of the design process — research, synthesis, ideation, prototype, iteration. This is the primary credential artefact submitted to the jury.
Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm
Concept Mela — peer critique
Open sharing session in the IIT studio tradition. Each participant presents informally; the cohort responds with written critique. Final jury preparation with faculty coaching.
Day 7 · Sun
Final jury and DIC Micro-Diploma ceremony
15-minute formal presentation per participant before a panel of IIT Hyderabad faculty, an HCD Institute mentor, and an invited industry practitioner. 10-minute Q&A. Individual written feedback. The DIC Micro-Diploma is awarded on the same day to candidates who meet all evaluation criteria.
How the two formats compare
Criteria
12-Week Online + Campus
7-Day Full Immersion
Credential awarded
DIC Micro-Diploma, IIT Hyderabad
DIC Micro-Diploma, IIT Hyderabad
Fee
₹1,50,000
₹1,50,000
Duration
12 weeks · online-first
7 days · fully residential
Weekly commitment
8–10 hours per week, evenings and weekends
Full days · 9 am to 6 pm · residential
Project depth
Extended research and iteration across 4 weeks
Compressed — best for well-defined challenges
Best suited to
Professionals who can sustain structured part-time engagement
Senior executives who prefer intensity over duration
Investment
₹1,50,000
Programme tuition · same as the 12-week format · full residential experience
Tuition, 7-day immersion
₹1,50,000
Accommodation on IIT campus, 6 nights
₹6,000 – ₹14,000
Meals, on-campus dining
Included in accommodation
Travel to Hyderabad
At participant cost
All tools and materials
₹0 · provided on campus
For context: A comparable 5-day residential programme at ISB Hyderabad costs ₹2.5–4L with no project output, no jury, and no IIT credential. This is the same campus city, the same institutional weight — with a credential you have to earn.
What you take away from 7 days
01
DIC Micro-Diploma — the same IIT Hyderabad credential as the 12-week programme. Jury-evaluated, not attendance-based.
02
A solved problem — a research-backed, prototype-tested design solution to a challenge you arrived with. Documented in a formal process book.
03
IIT campus access — DIC fabrication labs, design studios, and the intellectual environment of one of India’s premier technology institutions.
04
Three individual faculty sessions — structured 45-minute mentor meetings on Days 2, 4, and 5 with an IIT or HCD practitioner assigned to your domain.
05
The IIT institutional network — alumni events, the DIC network across India, and the broader IIT professional community.
Admissions
The immersion format has one additional requirement: you must arrive with a defined challenge. Participants who have not identified a problem to work on in advance cannot get full value from seven days. If you are unsure, our admissions team will help you frame one before you apply.
The statement of purpose · 2 pages
Same as the 12-week format.
The admissions criteria are identical — we admit on the basis of purpose, clarity of thinking, and intent. The statement of purpose for the immersion has one additional prompt: describe the challenge you intend to bring.
I. Your professional context and the gap you are looking to address.
II. The specific challenge you will work on during the immersion — and why it matters now.
III. What you intend to do with this credential and the work produced during the week.
1
Application form — Name, organisation, current role, and a one-paragraph description of the challenge you are bringing.
2
Statement of purpose · 2 pages — Reviewed by the DIC–HCD admissions panel. The challenge definition is the most important element for the immersion format.
3
30-minute admissions call — A structured conversation to pressure-test your challenge definition and confirm the immersion format is the right fit for your schedule.
4
Confirmation and pre-immersion pack — Admission decision within 48 hours. Pre-immersion briefing pack issued two weeks before arrival, including reading, challenge preparation guide, and campus logistics.
October 2026 immersion. 6 places remaining.
Applications close 1 September 2026 · Confirmation within 48 hours
Next immersion after this: February 2027
Pre-immersion briefing pack sent two weeks before arrival.
October 2026 · 6 places remaining
Applications close 1 September.
10 participants. Seven days. The next immersion after this is February 2027. If the challenge is live — now is the right time.
Questions? Write to admissions@hcd.institute · Response within 24 hours
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7-Day Full Immersion · Design Innovation Centre, IIT Hyderabad
Seven days on campus. One credential. One problem solved.
For senior professionals who cannot commit to 12 weeks but want the same IIT Hyderabad credential — and the intensity of a residential programme that compresses the full arc into one focused week.
IIT Hyderabad certified
Residential · on IIT campus
₹1.5 L · same credential
7 days · 6 nights
10 participants
Next immersion: October 2026 · 6 places remaining · Applications close 1 September
Reserve your place
This cohort is capped at 10. We will confirm your application within 48 hours.
6 of 10 places remaining · Applications close 1 September
You will receive a pre-immersion briefing pack two weeks before the programme begins.
7
days · residential
IIT
Hyderabad certified
10
participants · curated
₹1.5L
same as 12-week
Jury
IIT faculty evaluation
Oct
2026 · next intake
Who this format is for
Same rigour. Different pace.
The 7-day immersion delivers the same IIT Hyderabad credential and the same jury-evaluated diploma as the 12-week programme — compressed into a residential week on campus. It is designed for senior executives, founders, and business leaders who cannot sustain 12 weeks of part-time engagement but can commit fully to seven consecutive days.
01
Executives who cannot do 12 weeks
CXOs, MDs, and senior directors who travel frequently or lead large teams. Seven planned days away from the office is manageable in a way that 12 weeks of evening commitment is not.
02
Founders with a live challenge
Entrepreneurs with a specific, urgent problem — a product launch, a service redesign, a market pivot. The immersion format allows you to work on it intensively, with IIT faculty and peers in the room.
03
Leaders who learn by doing, not watching
Professionals who find online learning passive and want the energy of a residential studio — the same culture that characterises programmes at ISB, IIM, and the world’s leading executive education campuses.
Programme schedule
Seven days. The full arc.
Participants arrive with a defined challenge. The week moves from discovery to definition to design to presentation — with IIT faculty in the room throughout. The final jury takes place on Day 7.
Day 1 · Mon
Morning · 9 am – 1 pm
Orientation and challenge framing
Programme induction. Each participant presents their challenge. Faculty-led session on design as a management discipline and the week’s methodology arc.
Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm
Stakeholder mapping and context analysis
Structured group work. Each participant maps the actors, pressures, and constraints around their challenge. First peer review session.
Day 2 · Tue
Morning · 9 am – 1 pm
Research and insight generation
Field inquiry methods. Structured interviews with stakeholders — real conversations arranged in advance or conducted on campus with invited guests. Synthesis in the afternoon.
Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm
Insight to opportunity
Translating research findings into design opportunities. Opportunity framing, brief writing, and faculty critique. First individual mentor session, 45 minutes.
Day 3 · Wed
Morning · 9 am – 1 pm
Concept generation and selection
Facilitated ideation with DIC faculty. Multiple concepts generated, stress-tested against the brief, and narrowed to one direction. Business model implications examined.
Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm
Value proposition and viability
Structured session on value proposition design. Participants articulate the commercial and organisational case for their chosen direction. Mid-week peer critique.
Day 4 · Thu
Morning · 9 am – 1 pm
Prototype and test
DIC fabrication labs and prototyping studios open. Participants build a working representation of their solution — physical, digital, or service. First round of structured user testing.
Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm
Iteration and refinement
Incorporating test findings. Second mentor session. Participants revise their prototype and begin structuring the final presentation narrative.
Day 5 · Fri
Morning · 9 am – 1 pm
AI and systems analysis
Session on AI as a strategic design tool — applied to each participant’s project. Second-order effects analysis: mapping systemic consequences of the proposed solution.
Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm
Guest session and open studio
Lecture by an IIT researcher or senior industry practitioner. Open studio time for project work and pre-jury rehearsal. Third and final mentor session.
Day 6 · Sat
Morning · 9 am – 1 pm
Documentation and process book
Completing the formal documentation of the design process — research, synthesis, ideation, prototype, iteration. This is the primary credential artefact submitted to the jury.
Afternoon · 2 pm – 6 pm
Concept Mela — peer critique
Open sharing session in the IIT studio tradition. Each participant presents informally; the cohort responds with written critique. Final jury preparation with faculty coaching.
Day 7 · Sun
Final jury and DIC Micro-Diploma ceremony
15-minute formal presentation per participant before a panel of IIT Hyderabad faculty, an HCD Institute mentor, and an invited industry practitioner. 10-minute Q&A. Individual written feedback. The DIC Micro-Diploma is awarded on the same day to candidates who meet all evaluation criteria.
How the two formats compare
Criteria
12-Week Online + Campus
7-Day Full Immersion
Credential awarded
DIC Micro-Diploma, IIT Hyderabad
DIC Micro-Diploma, IIT Hyderabad
Fee
₹1,50,000
₹1,50,000
Duration
12 weeks · online-first
7 days · fully residential
Weekly commitment
8–10 hours per week, evenings and weekends
Full days · 9 am to 6 pm · residential
Project depth
Extended research and iteration across 4 weeks
Compressed — best for well-defined challenges
Best suited to
Professionals who can sustain structured part-time engagement
Senior executives who prefer intensity over duration
Investment
₹1,50,000
Programme tuition · same as the 12-week format · full residential experience
Tuition, 7-day immersion
₹1,50,000
Accommodation on IIT campus, 6 nights
₹6,000 – ₹14,000
Meals, on-campus dining
Included in accommodation
Travel to Hyderabad
At participant cost
All tools and materials
₹0 · provided on campus
For context: A comparable 5-day residential programme at ISB Hyderabad costs ₹2.5–4L with no project output, no jury, and no IIT credential. This is the same campus city, the same institutional weight — with a credential you have to earn.
What you take away from 7 days
01
DIC Micro-Diploma — the same IIT Hyderabad credential as the 12-week programme. Jury-evaluated, not attendance-based.
02
A solved problem — a research-backed, prototype-tested design solution to a challenge you arrived with. Documented in a formal process book.
03
IIT campus access — DIC fabrication labs, design studios, and the intellectual environment of one of India’s premier technology institutions.
04
Three individual faculty sessions — structured 45-minute mentor meetings on Days 2, 4, and 5 with an IIT or HCD practitioner assigned to your domain.
05
The IIT institutional network — alumni events, the DIC network across India, and the broader IIT professional community.
Admissions
The immersion format has one additional requirement: you must arrive with a defined challenge. Participants who have not identified a problem to work on in advance cannot get full value from seven days. If you are unsure, our admissions team will help you frame one before you apply.
The statement of purpose · 2 pages
Same as the 12-week format.
The admissions criteria are identical — we admit on the basis of purpose, clarity of thinking, and intent. The statement of purpose for the immersion has one additional prompt: describe the challenge you intend to bring.
I. Your professional context and the gap you are looking to address.
II. The specific challenge you will work on during the immersion — and why it matters now.
III. What you intend to do with this credential and the work produced during the week.
1
Application form — Name, organisation, current role, and a one-paragraph description of the challenge you are bringing.
2
Statement of purpose · 2 pages — Reviewed by the DIC–HCD admissions panel. The challenge definition is the most important element for the immersion format.
3
30-minute admissions call — A structured conversation to pressure-test your challenge definition and confirm the immersion format is the right fit for your schedule.
4
Confirmation and pre-immersion pack — Admission decision within 48 hours. Pre-immersion briefing pack issued two weeks before arrival, including reading, challenge preparation guide, and campus logistics.
October 2026 immersion. 6 places remaining.
Applications close 1 September 2026 · Confirmation within 48 hours
Next immersion after this: February 2027
Pre-immersion briefing pack sent two weeks before arrival.
October 2026 · 6 places remaining
Applications close 1 September.
10 participants. Seven days. The next immersion after this is February 2027. If the challenge is live — now is the right time.
Questions? Write to admissions@hcd.institute · Response within 24 hours
Shaping human-centered businesses for the next 25 years.
Where design, technology, and behavior come together to build what’s next.