DESIGN THINKING
Unit-1
Design thinking is an iterative process in which you seek to
understand your users, challenge assumptions, redefine problems
and create innovative solutions which you can prototype and test.
The overall goal is to identify alternative strategies and solutions
that are not instantly apparent with your initial level of
understanding.
In essence, design thinking:
· Revolves around a deep interest to understand the people for
whom we design products and services.
· Helps us observe and develop empathy with the target users.
· Enhances our ability to question: in design thinking you question
the problem, the assumptions and the implications.
· Proves extremely useful when you tackle problems that are ill-
defined or unknown.
· Involves ongoing experimentation through sketches, prototypes,
testing and trials of new concepts and ideas.
PROCESS OF DESIGN THINKING –
1. Empathize
The Design Thinking process starts with empathy. In order to
create desirable products and services, you need to understand
who your users are and what they need. What are their
expectations in relation to the product you’re designing? What
challenges and pain-points do they face within this context?
During the empathize phase, you’ll spend time observing and
engaging with real users (or people who represent your target
group)—conducting interviews, seeing how they interact with an
existing product, and generally paying attention to facial
expressions and body language.
As the first step in the Design Thinking process, the empathize
phase encourages you to set your assumptions aside. Armed with
first-hand insights, you’ll be able to design with real users in
mind. That’s what Design Thinking is all about!
2. Define
In the second stage of the Design Thinking process, you’ll define
the user problem that you want to solve. First, you’ll gather all of
your findings from the empathize phase and start piecing them
together. What common themes and patterns did you observe?
What user needs and challenges consistently came up?
Once you’ve synthesized your findings, you’ll formulate what’s
known as a problem statement. A problem statement—sometimes
called a point of view (POV) statement—outlines the issue or
challenge that you will seek to address.
As with anything in the Design Thinking process, the problem
statement keeps the user in focus. Rather than framing your
problem statement as a business goal—“We need to increase
gym membership among over-50s by 30%”—you’ll frame it from
the user’s perspective: “Over-50s in London need flexible,
affordable access to sports facilities in order to keep fit and
healthy.”
By the end of the define phase, you will have a clear problem
statement which will guide you throughout the design process.
This will form the basis of your ideas and potential solutions.
3. Ideate
The third stage in the Design Thinking process consists of ideation
—or generating ideas. By this point, you know who your target
users are and what they want from your product. You also have a
clear problem statement that you’re hoping to solve. Now it’s
time to come up with possible solutions.
The ideation phase is a judgement-free zone where the group is
encouraged to venture away from the norm, to explore new
angles, and to think outside the box. You’ll hold ideation sessions
in order to generate as many ideas as possible—regardless of
whether or not they’re feasible! For maximum creativity, ideation
sessions are often
held in unusual locations.
Throughout this stage of the Design Thinking process, you’ll
continuously refer back to your problem statement.
As you prepare to move on to the next phase, you’ll narrow it
down to a few ideas which you’ll later turn into prototypes to be
tested on real users.
4. Prototype
In the fourth stage of the Design Thinking process, you’ll turn
your ideas from stage three into prototypes. A prototype is
essentially a scaled-down version of a product or feature—be it a
simple paper model or a more interactive digital representation.
The aim of the prototyping stage is to turn your ideas into
something tangible which can be tested on real users. This is
crucial in maintaining a user-centric approach, allowing you to
gather feedback before you go ahead and develop the whole
product. This ensures that the final design actually solves the
user’s problem and is a delight to use!
5. Test
The fifth step in the Design Thinking process is dedicated to
testing: putting your prototypes in front of real users and seeing
how they get on. During the testing phase, you’ll observe your
target users—or representative users— as they interact with your
prototype. You’ll also gather feedback on how your users felt
throughout the process.
The testing phase will quickly highlight any design flaws that need
to be addressed. Based on what you learn through user testing,
you’ll go back and make improvements. Remember: The Design
Thinking process is iterative and non-linear. The results of the
testing phase will often require you to revisit the empathize stage
or run through a few more ideation sessions before you create
that winning prototype.
What do you mean by Creativity?
Creativity encompasses the ability to discover new and original
ideas, connections, and solutions to problems.
According to Dr. Betty Edward “Creativity is the ability to find new
solutions to a problem or new modes of expression; thus it brings
into existence something new to the individual and to the culture.
What do you mean by Innovation?
Innovation refers to the ability of a person to develop something
new based on his acquired knowledge.
According to Peter Drucker, “Innovation is the means by which
the entrepreneur either creates new wealth producing resources
or endows existing resources with enhance potential for creating
wealth”.
1. Difference between Innovation and Creativity--
Importance of Innovation/ role of innovation in organisation and
industry
1. Solving Problems –
If your business provides services, you might realise that your
customers do not have an avenue to share their opinions,
complaints, and compliments.
So, to solve the problem, you could decide to operate a virtual
office where customers’ needs can be attended to within a short
time. The customers will be happy and as a result, your sales will
go higher.
2. Adapting To Change –
Change is inevitable and innovation is the method to not only
keep your business afloat but also ensure that it remains relevant
and profitable. So, when you develop an innovation culture, you
remain relevant at all times.
3. Maximising On Globalization –
Markets all over the world are becoming more interlinked and
greater opportunities are emerging in these new markets.
For instance, if your company hopes to tap into this market share,
innovation is a must to enable you to capitalize on the
opportunities opening up.
4. Facing Up The Competition –
To retain or establish your company’s cutting edge, you can
compete strategically by having a dynamic business that can
make strategic and innovative moves and thus cut above the rest.
5. Evolving Workplace Dynamics –
The demographics in the workplace are constantly changing.
Innovation is therefore critical to ensure the smooth running of
the company.
6. Customers’ changing tastes and preferences–
The current customer has a great variety of products and services
available to him. Hence, the company must keep itself abreast of
these evolving tastes and also forge new ways of satisfying the
customer.
