Design thinking
Design thinking is an approach to tackling problems through understanding people, defining the challenge, generating ideas and experimenting
What it means, how it is used and where it comes up, with its related concepts.
What it is and how it works
It combines exploration and narrowing down in cycles that can be repeated. A team might research a difficult sign-up process, reframe the problem and test alternatives before developing them. Workshop activities are tools of the process: their value depends on the evidence obtained and the decisions they make possible.
Frequently asked questions about Design thinking
How do you choose which idea to test first in design thinking?
Start with the uncertainty that could invalidate a proposal, not necessarily with the most eye-catching idea or the easiest to present. If there is doubt that people need the solution, an interface test will not resolve it. Each experiment should link a specific question to evidence that makes it possible to keep, modify or discard the proposal before investing more in it.
Does a good reaction to a prototype prove the solution will work?
No. A favorable reaction allows you to learn about that prototype and the test conditions, but it does not prove adoption, operational viability or sustained demand. Observe what people do and what difficulties they encounter, as well as listening to their feedback. Afterwards, the assumptions the test does not cover need to be checked, such as the ability to deliver or maintain the service.
When can you close a design thinking iteration?
When the evidence allows the decision planned for that iteration to be made, or shows that it needs to be reframed. You do not have to clear up every uncertainty in the project, but you do need to distinguish what has been learned from what is still a hypothesis. The close should leave a decision, its rationale and the next step; completing a set of activities does not in itself prove the challenge has been solved.