'Design Thinking' explained..
..and how it fits in the Scaled Agile Framework
Design thinking is a universal systemic approach for delighting stakeholders and customers. The process seeks to create a solution that is not only desired by its customers and users, but also ensures the solution is feasible, economically viable, and sustainable over the solution’s own product lifecycle.
Delighting customers is a hard thing to do all the time, but Product and Solution Management have this challenge and need a range of tools to support them in this quest. There is a standard pattern depicted by a Double Diamond shape that neatly describes the design thinking process; the first diamond to understand the problem, and the second diamond to design a suitable solution to the problem. When this process is done well, at the end of the second diamond you should have a solution which is a very good “problem fit.”
In the “discover” period of the first diamond this is a very divergent and sometimes somewhat ambiguous phase where data gathering and analysis techniques should be used to really explore the problem area from different perspectives. From this work, patterns will start to emerge that should begin to point towards, and then in turn “define”, what the real problem to be solved actually is. Once here we can begin to work out how to solve the problem.
The second diamond follows a similar divergent pattern, this time in the solution space where patterns such as set-based design as well as early prototyping or modelling can be employed to explore a range of different options and challenges to solve the stated problem. As we take this process deeper and advance different potential solution options forward, we can start to gain structured feedback and data from potential (or existing) customers which we can in-turn use to better inform our choice of solution, and hone and improve that product further through its delivery cycles in an iterative and incremental way.
Design thinking is a continuous process that drives an Agile Release Train (ART). By using the Continuous Delivery Pipeline, an ART can constantly be discovering potential new features or functions, release them frequently to their customers, and collect customer feedback to be integrated back into new product planning. This customer feedback loop is also instrumental in driving innovation within the organisation, as whilst many good innovations will come specifically from within an enterprise itself, the innovation riptide (and ideas funnel) can be fed from interpreting these external inputs as well.
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Product and Solution Management have this challenge above, and must also deliver those delightful product solutions in a feasible, viable, and sustainable way. To achieve this they must:
To learn more about the customer centricity and design thinking dimensions of Agile Product delivery, as well as how product managers support the continuous delivery pipeline then please do get in touch. The SAFe Agile Product Manager course is an essential asset for Product Owners and Product Managers in any modern enterprise and should form part of their development pathways.
I'm Matt and I have been working with Scrum since 2001, the Scaled Agile Framework since 2012, and have been delivering professional Agile Training for over a decade. I offer SAFe-specific and general Agile training courses to industry clients, so please do get in touch to talk about your own company's Learning & Development needs.