How do you use design thinking to innovate and adapt to changing HR trends and needs?

The real origin of design thinking is from thinking like designers when creating solutions to solve problems. It's popularized to the mainstream thanks to Steve Jobs and Apple that showed the world that good design is not how it looks, but how it works.

To apply the best use of Design Thinking you first need to empathize. Do have conversation with your HR colleagues try to first find out some of the key challenges their organisation are facing. Situations like during Recruitment and Talent Acquisiton, Employee Retention and Engagement, Training, these are all subjects that will bring to you interesting user feedback where you will be able to define some possibilities with the use of Design Thinking

As a design thinking practitioner, I would do the following: Empathy Mapping: Understand employee pain points and aspirations to design meaningful HR solutions. Human-Centered Approach: Focus on employee experiences when crafting policies and initiatives. Prototyping HR Solutions: Test new HR practices on a small scale before full implementation. Iterative Process: Continuously adapt HR strategies based on employee feedback and shifting workplace trends. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Involve diverse teams to co-create innovative HR programs that address real needs. Would love to her your perspectives.

I found design thinking can really assist managers and leaders to solve problems and seek opportunities for continuous improvement. I have used it in FM and PM.

According to Tim Brown "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.”? There are 3 Phases one has to go through I.e " Explore Phase, Create Phase and Implement Phase"

Design Thinking offers HR professionals a powerful toolkit for addressing complex challenges, driving innovation, and improving employee and talent experience within organizations.

I've been applying design thinking as a Chief Talent & Transformation Officer at a skillstech company. I use it to get creative in solving a wide range of HR problems from creating talent acquisition programs, retaining talents, creating compelling learning experiences, designing employee experience journey end-to-end.

Design thinking in HR is the bridge between the human element and strategic success. By putting employees and candidates at the center of the design process, HR professionals can craft experiences that not only meet organizational goals but also resonate deeply with the people who make those goals a reality.

In my opinion, design thinking serves as a valuable approach for HR professionals to navigate and innovate amidst changing trends and needs. By putting people at the heart of the process, design thinking allows us to deeply understand employee and candidate experiences, leading to more effective solutions. It offers a practical toolkit for addressing complex challenges, fostering innovation, and enhancing overall talent and employee experience. Ultimately, design thinking serves as a bridge between human-centricity and strategic success in HR, enabling us to create experiences that not only align with organizational goals but also resonate with individuals on a meaningful level.

HR is people. Design thinking places empathy for, and understanding of, people at the heart of it's process. The two are irrevocably intertwined.

I found the how can we statement can really change crisis more into opportunities. For example how can we create revenue rather than be seen as an expense in the organisation's. HR can come up with so much from this question. A learning and development strategy can be monetized.

Here are 3 use cases of design thinking in HR: 1. Design employee experience journey before, during and after employment 2. Create programs to acquire, retain, grow and monetize talents. 3. Design learning journeys of employees to upskill, reskill in order to compete.

Design thinking in HR is like being an architect for people strategies. Empathize with Employees: I start by putting myself in their shoes to truly understand their needs and challenges. Define the Problem: Clearly identify what we're trying to solve or improve. Ideate Solutions: Brainstorm a wide range of creative solutions without limitations. Prototype and Test: Develop small-scale versions of the ideas and try them out. Iterate Based on Feedback: Refine the solutions based on what we learn from testing. Applying design thinking in HR means continuously adapting to needs by being innovative and employee-centred. It's about crafting solutions not only to address current challenges but also to anticipate future ones.

Applying design thinking in HR is like painting a canvas of employee experience. Each phase is a brushstroke, and the tools and techniques are your colors, helping you create a masterpiece of engagement, satisfaction, and growth within your organization.

Pleased to share the impact of design thinking in people transformation projects. By prioritizing empathy, creativity, and iteration, design thinking enhances employee engagement, fosters a culture of innovation, and drives meaningful change. In navigating complex organizational shifts, this human-centered approach ensures solutions are not just effective, but also resonate with the diverse needs and experiences of our workforce.

Design thinking's human-centered approach offers a powerful lens to innovate and adapt in HR, aligning perfectly with changing needs and trends. By diving deep into employee pain points, goals, and motivations, HR teams can develop empathetic, efficient solutions. For example, I used this approach with a major retailer. Where we redesigned their entire employee journey—from onboarding to reviews—to mirror their mission, using design thinking as their backbone. Additionally, we a leading diagnostics organization we employed the method to shift from a one-size-fits-all training model to personalized learning experiences for their front-of-the-house staff. These personal examples are just a couple that showcase design thinking in HR.

Design thinking in HR isn't just a concept; it's a proven strategy that's transformed organizations like Airbnb, IBM, Accenture, and SAP. From reimagining employee experiences to fostering diversity and inclusion, the impact is evident in the innovative solutions that have emerged.

During my Design Thinking Facilitation work, Here are some of the Innovation using DT implemented at corporate level. 1. Staff Retention. 2. Employee engagement. 3. Personal Claiming process 4. Finding Hidden Talents In Organization 5. Gamifying Physical Health 6. Redesigning The Workplace to create more engagements. The industry that took place in these Design Thinking works are from Manufacturing Plant, Software development, Agriculture, Banking, Aviation, Seaport and etc.

Design thinking has transformed HR at companies like Airbnb, IBM, Accenture, and SAP, driving innovative solutions that enhance employee experience and engagement. How have you applied design thinking in your organization to tackle HR challenges and create impactful employee initiatives?

If you're keen to dive into the world of design thinking in HR, consider a multi-pronged approach. Start by immersing yourself in books, articles, and case studies on the application within HR. Look for specialized online courses or workshops that offer hands-on experience and certifications. To stay abreast of the latest trends and connect with like-minded professionals, join online communities focused on design thinking in HR and attend industry-specific conferences and meetups. Last, take a bias towards action. Find someone that uses this methodology and participate with them in one of their sessions. This learning journey will not only deepen your understanding but also empower you to implement design thinking to solve challenges.

Browse and explore some of the works done by IDEO in the HR Landscape. They have a website dedicated to all the Design work they have done. Also you could go to some of the HR people and interview them. For your information a lot of them, would have done some Design Thinking works that they don't know it's Design Thinking. Listening to them and exploring their work and how they have done it is priceless information.

Learning about design thinking in HR is a journey of exploration and innovation. Start by immersing yourself in the wealth of resources available, connect with a community of like-minded professionals, and consider hands-on training to put theory into practice. Your HR toolkit is about to get a creative upgrade!

Design thinking can help HR innovate and adapt to changing trends and needs by promoting collaboration, creativity, and employee-centric solutions. By embracing a design thinking mindset, HR can drive positive change within the organization and create a more engaging and fulfilling work experience for employees. By applying design thinking principles, we increase the likelihood of achieving exceptional outcomes and inspiring moments of "wow" in the process.

If you're keen to learn more about design thinking and how you can apply it to HR, then the podcast 'A Beginner's Guide to Design Thinking' will provide you with a solid foundation from which to develop your knowledge.

Design thinking focuses on serving users first. In HR, the users are the candidates, employees and alumni. So your job as a HR innovator is to 1. Find unmet and latent needs 2. Create solutions that differentiate 3. Experiment to validate 4. Get traction and wins

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Google applied Design Thinking principles to adapt their HR practices to support remote work effectively. Through Empathise Phase, they included surveys, interviews, and feedback mechanisms, Google gained insights into the challenges employees faced while working remotely. Based on these insights, Google defined the problem and developed a comprehensive solution such as remote work toolkit- including virtual team-building activities, flexible scheduling options to accommodate varying personal circumstances, and enhanced communication platforms to facilitate seamless collaboration. For this case study, you can see how Google HR applied DT to employee well-being and effectiveness through the pandemic.