Design Thinking

Design Thinking is not just about design and it is not confined to the creative production of products. It also extends to services and in many cases for most companies we work with, it is service delivery that benefits the most from design thinking. Since the inception of IDEO in 1991 by David Kelley, design thinking has come a long way and is not a new concept.

This article will explain how design thinking works, dispel some myths and cite some benefits of its application. By drawing on client experiences, my design thinking studies at Stanford and Berkeley and its application in professional services, I hope you can see how it can optimize outcomes.

The Process

It may seem at odds that such a creative process has a framework. But it does. There are five key stages.

Stage 1 is Empathize

This is a no-filter stage where we gather data on what the end user really wants. It comes down to understanding deeply what the recipient or stakeholder really wants. There is a big difference between a problem, my problem, our problem and THE problem. This stage is all about challenging what THE problem really is.

Stage 2 is Define

This is where we get to analyze and filter some of the information gleaned from the first stage. We might come up with a series of 2X2 matrices whereby everyone labels axes differently but uses the same data from Stage 1. This shows different value sets and reframes the problem.

Stage 3 is Ideate

An energetic stage that is usually done offsite in a space that inspires creative thinking. The important part here is to bring different stakeholders and process owners together. We think broadly — going wide before getting narrow. Quite often, the best solutions are in the tail: the outlier, the quiet observation, the different view.

Stage 4 is Prototype

In a product sense this means creating an inexpensive model of the new widget. For services, this means playing out or mapping the customer journey. In technology implementations, we use this to map out exceptions and scenarios more accurately.

Stage 5 is Testing

This is where the prototypes get tested. Products are tested in markets for feedback and tweaking, and in technology we test to make sure exceptions are managed and the new state will be stable. It allows us to reframe, tweak and then finalize.

The Returns

Is it worth it? Yes. In July 2019 Forrester concluded that the ROI from employing design thinking was positive — typically 229% for individual projects. McKinsey found that design-thinking companies experienced 32% higher revenue growth and 56% greater return to shareholders over a five-year span.