The Power of Design Thinking and how it works
Design thinking is the method of solving complex problems by exploring innovation opportunities. You can infuse new insights and collaboration, and you can easily speed up the process and solve the existing problems faster.
No one can describe the core of design thinking better than Tim Brown, executive chair of IDEO.
“Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer’s toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.”
By utilizing the benefits of design thinking, we can easily use several inputs to look at various perspectives for getting innovative ideas that will serve as remedies for existing problems. A solid understanding of the user’s outlook builds the foundation for innovative ideas that can get better results.
Design thinking majorly covers three central parts of a product or service. Building a product that a user desires and also that is technologically feasible and economical from a business perspective. Essential elements of design thinking are always aim-oriented.
5 Phases of Design Thinking:
There are basically 5 stages or phases a design thinking process goes through. But it is not limited by these only, design thinking is a non-linear and iterative process. These phases are not sequential and re-visited until an optimal solution is produced.
Empathize
Empathy is the ability to see the world through other people’s eyes. Putting aside our own perspective, our own preconceived ideas is the only way by which we can understand the problems and realities of the people we are designing for.
Define
After a deeper understanding of people’s emotional and behavioral needs, we need to come up with an actionable problem statement that we will solve in order to achieve the desired goal. Analysis and Synthesis are the core parts of this phase. Analyze and break down complex concepts into simpler, easy-to-understand parts. Synthesis is putting together your analysis and research creatively in order to form whole ideas.
Ideate
After creating an actionable problem statement, generate ideas and possible solutions through techniques like brainstorming, sketching etc. Don’t worry about the time or quality of the ideas for now, instead think outside the box, focus on the quantity and make sure you don’t miss any aspect that your problem may have.
Prototype
Now experiment on the ideas you and your team brainstormed. Weed out the unnecessary ones and focus on finding the best potential solution for the problems found. Remember, this is an experimental phase, thus even a rough mockup on paper will do the work. Avoid spending too much money on prototypes and create numerous cheaper ones.
Test
Try out your solutions one-by-one. Evaluate the results and redefine the original problems and the ideas if needed. Testing provides an alternate view of the problem and a fresh perspective to rethink the solutions. Don’t discard everything if a test fails, find out the best out of it and take it along with you as you repeat the design thinking process.
Why is Design Thinking important?
1) This process helps us to get leverage in terms of expertise related to subjects and also for getting quality research on your consumers.
2) There will be fewer risks when you’ll be trying to use new ideas for your project.
3) Your business organization will grow better by using collaboration techniques that come with the process and remedies that are creative.
4) It’s all about the quality experience your customers have, as customer experience directly depends on the loyalty of them.
