Design Thinking for Innovation and Growth

Design Thinking helps in achieving innovative solutions using standardized but flexible process and framework. If we go back to history, design thinking has been there for very long and generally used by designers to create innovative designer solutions. It is also referred as cognitive style of thinking to achieve solutions for complex problems.

Design Thinking is an iterative process involving user contexts, customer journey, defining and refining the problem, ideation, prototyping, testing and implementing solutions. It can help solve the most complex problems by using standard but flexible processes and tools.

In previous decades design thinking was used only by Innovation and Development and Product design teams. The world-wide use of Design Thinking in the mainstream business and across the divisions has increased rapidly over the last decade.

The need for design thinking adoption arises from the need of continuous business and digital transformation. Digital transformation needed organization to innovate and transform their entire value stream, solutions, products and services by using digital technology.?

For achieving growth through Digital Transformation and Innovations, organizations have to use Design thinking approach to quickly and structurally solve their problems, achieve new innovations and transform with speed.

Use of Design Thinking?

Design thinking is used for problem solving which in turn can also mean opportunity to innovate,?

1.?????Problem Solving –?Problems that are highly complex and difficult to resolve can be put through design thinking to reach the solution.

2.?????Reframing –?Reframing the problem helps understand and adjust the focus of the problem. Often times the problem might not be caused by the area it arrived from. Reframing the problem helps to identify the source and reframe the problem accurately.

3.?????Solutions –?Solutions focused design thinking allows to see problems from solutions perspective, to see the problem as an opportunity for innovation instead of some quick fix resolution.

4.?????Problem and Solution –?In design thinking the problem and solutions both evolve together and move hand in hand to reach the suitable fit for purpose solution.

5.?????Modelling and Simulation –?In design thinking modelling and simulation using prototyping helps to understand and test core part of the problem resolution. It is generally achieved by drawing, sketching and creating paper cut models for trials and simulations.

Process of Design Thinking

Design thinking process helps structurally solve the problems, achieve innovation and growth. The process consists of five core phases, each phase also has its own sub stages, tools and frameworks. Here is the quick overview of the high-level process phases of design thinking,

Phase 1 – Empathize –?Empathize phase is focused on understanding the problem and innovation from customer (user) point of view. Empathize means putting yourself in user’s shoes to relate and understand their needs. This is the most important phase of design thinking and it involves,

a.?????User Personas?– defining one or more user personas to understand the user demographics, needs, challenges, emotions and motivations.

b.?????Empathy Map?– Empathy map diagram helps in structurally understanding what the user really needs, what are their pains and gains.

c.?????A Day In the life of the user?– A Day in the life of the user is focused on defining a general day from morning until night for each user persona. This helps to understand their needs and insights in details. This can be also called as user journey from user’s perspective.

The inputs received help to understand and underpin the user needs clearly.

Phase 2 – Define –?The Define phase is focused on defining the problem statement in a more human centric way. In this stage the Point of View and How might we statement are created. Both these statements help to define the problem clearly.

a.?????Point of View (PoV) Statement?– Point of view statement is defined keeping the respective user persona in the mind. We define the user persona, there need and insights obtained from phase 1.

b.?????How Might We (HMV) statement?– How might we statement is defined to clearly articulate the problem and solution in one or two sentences ensuring they cover the identified needs and insights clearly.

c.?????Market Research?– Part of the Define stage is also to ensure a complete market research of problem and solution including competition. This helps in refining the problem and solution.

Phase 3 – Ideate –?The Ideate phase is focused largely on ideas generation, based on inputs received form Phase 1 (Personas, Empathy Map, User Journey) and Phase 2 (POV, HMV, MR).

For generating Ideas various idea generations tools and methods can be used,

a.?????Brain storming and Brain writing –?Commonly used technique for idea generation where everyone can write and put their ideas on a while board on post it notes. Ideas can be then be reviewed and grouped one by one.

b.?????Voting Stickers –?The grouped ideas can be voted with voting stickers to get understanding on which ideas are more important and in which order.

c.?????Should Have, Could Have, Would Have –?This method is used to prioritize ideas and features identified to solve the problem and implement innovation. It helps to clearly categorize the must have, nice to have and no need to have ideas (features).

d.?????SCAMPER?– SCAMPER is a thinking technique that allows to review each generated idea and decide on possible actions for each. SCAMPER means?Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse.

e.?????Affinity Map?– The ideas generated can be put on an affinity map to better structure them and understand by groupings. The ideas are generally grouped and places on an affinity map for easier visualization.

The ideate stage ensure ideas are generated, grouped, prioritized and documented sufficiently to move to prototyping phase

Phase 4 – Prototype –?The prototype phase is focused on rapid, low cost, low efforts prototyping to validate users need to quickly feedback, turn around and improve the solution. This is also an extensive phase to ensure the core problem will be fully resolved with the proposed solution. It consists of,

a.?????Paper Prototypes?– Paper prototypes are used to keep the efforts and costs limited. In addition paper prototypes are easier to make and adjust as they are hand drawn. In real life also it is very easy to use them to make users understand the solution and gather their feedback. Prototypes using 3D printing and automated software platforms are also feasible and used.

b.?????Quick Polls and Feedback Loops?– Quick Polls are used to collect users feedback on the prototype. The feedback is looped back to the prototype creation team for them to quickly adapt and rerun the tests and simulations until they reach stage where users are fully satisfied and no further changes asked.

c.?????Desirability, Viability and Feasibility Validation?– The end result of prototyping, polling and feedback helps the team to complete the validation of the product and solution confirming product’s or solution’s desirability, viability and feasibility.

d.?????Customer Journey Map?– Mapping a customer journey helps to understand how they will adapt and use the product and solutions. It also helps to understand how each step will be managed and measured.

e.?????PR Notes?– PR notes are communication notes and messages. These are created to engage users to try the product and solutions.

After prototyping phase the team moves to the last and important phase of implementation.

Phase 5 – Implement –?Outputs from Phase 4 become inputs for Phase 5, the Implement phase. In this stage,

a.?????Change -?The team works on implementing the changes and feedbacks received and making all ideas and features working.?

b.?????Test -?The final product or solution is prepared and thoroughly tested with all involved key users and stakeholders.

c.?????Train –?Training manuals, videos are created. Users are trained before the product or solution is implemented.

d.?????Implement -?The product or solution is implemented. Usage is measured and monitored. Issues and changes are logged for efficient resolution.

e.?????Continuous improvement –?Changes are taken up in the continuous improvement cycle as part of next release of the product / solution.

This is the final phase of design thinking process and it ensures the problem in solved and a relevant product or solution is successfully implemented.

For Efficiency and Effectiveness, organizations also adapt and use Lean (Kanban, Kaizen) and Agile (User Stories, Sprints) Frameworks at phase 3 (Ideate), phase 4 (Prototype) and phase 5 (implement).

The design thinking process is structured, flexible and iterative. Design Thinking is used by organizations for achieving their key innovations & growth by delivering customer centric solutions for solving complex problems.