Design thinking was invented to show a new way of tackling problems. It is about finding a problem then applying a solution not the other way around. Design thinking is broken down into a five-step process; empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. In order to empathize there needs to be a line of understanding between the producer and the consumer. This can be accomplished in different ways including interviews and shadowing. Talking to a consumer and seeing what they need in their lives is an effective way to create something that is useful. Getting to know someone allows you to see what needs help within that person’s life and can open up new problems that occur in other people’s lives. What people care about is what people want.
Once this line of understanding is established, the next point is to define. Define refers to defining what the problem is. This can include certain roles, challenges, and pain points. This is done once you have analyzed all the information gathered from the interviews.
Once the problem has been defined the next step would be to ideate. This process can include sharing ideas and prioritizing certain issues above others. This is the stage that you begin to brainstorm different solutions to the defined problem. Throughout this stage the more ideas, the better. Having more variation allows for a larger range of solutions.
Once an idea has been established its time to prototype. This prototype is more of a mockup or something that can be kept simple and quick. This allows for different variations and quick adjustments to then testing. The solutions to a prototype could be a combination of two ideas from the ideate stage.
The last step in the design thinking process is to test out the solution. What works and what does not work – trial and error. This test should be done with actual targeted consumers.
After some research, I found that aside from the five physical act phases of design thinking there are also four principals attached. This includes the human rule, the ambiguity rule, the redesign rule, and the tangibility rule. The rule that stuck out to me is the redesign rule. This design thinking rule states that the basic human needs never change, and the only change in design is redesigning, “…the means of fulfilling these needs or reaching desired outcomes” (Career Foundry). This got me thinking about how true this statement is. For instance, we all need a roof over our heads, but over time this idea of a roof has changed. Now some people seek out a large mansion, while others want a studio apartment in the city.
So why is design thinking so popular? This is because an organization has a more specific audience they are aiming for. The idea is to understand the people consuming a product or create something that a consumer will want. This allows a company to create a more well-fit product or service. This lets a company get to know their customers. The overall premise is to get to know people and understand their needs.
Sources:
https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/ux-design/what-is-design-thinking-everything-you-need-to-know-to-get-started/
https://www.ideou.com/blogs/inspiration/what-is-design-thinking
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/what-is-design-thinking-and-why-is-it-so-popular