Design Thinking

Design Thinking is a design methodology that provides a solution-based approach to solving problems.

It’s extremely useful in tackling complex problems that are ill-defined or unknown, by understanding the human needs involved, by re-framing the problem in human-centric ways, by creating many ideas in brainstorming sessions, and by adopting a hands-on approach in prototyping and testing.

  • Empathize: Gain an empathic understanding of the problem you’re trying to solve, typically through some form of user research.

  • Define: Analyze your observations and synthesize them in order to define the core problems you and your team have identified so far.

  • Ideate: Start to “think outside the box” to identify new solutions to the problem and look for alternative ways of viewing the problem.

  • Prototype: Produce a number of scaled-down versions of the product or specific features so you can investigate the problem solutions generated.

  • Test: Test the completed product using the best solutions identified during the prototyping phase. The results generated during the testing phase are what you will often use to redefine one or more problems.

TIPS FOR DESIGN THINKING

DIVERGENT & CONVERGENT THINKING

Divergent Thinking: Sometimes you need to create and think up many different ideas.

Convergent Thinking: Sometimes you need to take many ideas and choose the best few.

CRITICAL & CREATIVE THINKING

Critical Thinking Skills:

  • Interpreting

  • Connecting

  • Integrating

  • Evaluating

  • Comparing

  • Classifying

  • Sequencing

  • Reasoning

  • Hypothesizing

Creative Thinking Skills:

  • Open-mindedness

  • Flexibility

  • Imagination

  • Adaptability

  • Risk-taking

  • Originality

  • Elaboration

  • Brainstorming

  • Imagery

CULTIVATE CURIOSITY

  1. Seek inspiration - Look beyond obviously-related contexts and find who is working on a similar problem in a radically different way

  2. Adopt a beginner’s mindset - Check our own misconceptions, stereotypes, and biases, and approach a challenge with fresh eyes

  3. Challenge your assumptions - When your team gets stuck, start asking the two key questions of “why” and “what if” to fuel curiosity

  4. Frame problems as questions - Try framing your project with the phrase, “How might we…” as an invitation that allows your team to participate

  5. Get uncomfortable - Be willing to step outside of your comfort zone and stretch yourself and your team by asking whose perspectives are missing

  6. Practice immersive empathy - find a way to put yourself in the user’s shoes and observe your emotional experience and how you feel