So, Is Design Thinking The Future? By Macdonald Ndovi

So, Is Design Thinking The Future?

I was wondering to myself with everything in the technology transformation space, different terminology such as Meta Management; Strategy Management; Value Management; Risk Management; Business Process Management; IT Transformation Management; Organizational Change Management; Training and Competence Management; Program and Project Management and the bigger question is what does the future holds? After the storm comes rebuilding. COVID-19 has profoundly affected the norms of business across every industry. Getting back up and running requires more than just business as usual. It is a two-geared process, a balancing act between transitioning safely into new working world and taking steps to engage in the transformation of working conditions and practices.

?As l was pondering on all these technological terminologies, as we enter the next future, it is a fact that several businesses are being transformed in a variety of ways. Then another term came into my mind “Design Thinking” Oh what a term and the quest to find more about it. So, what is “Design Thinking?”

Design thinking is generally defined as an analytic and creative process that engages a person in opportunities to experiment, create and prototype models, gather feedback, and redesign. Several characteristics (e.g., visualization, creativity) that a good design thinker should possess have been identified from the literature. In researching that, other questions pondered my heart. How do we apply the findings from the literature regarding the application of design thinking to our different spheres of life? And what are the key features and characteristics of design thinking, its importance in promoting problem-solving skills in the 21st century especially in the construction industry.

Unexpectedly as I was perusing the HOME &STYLES International magazine, there was an advert for The Transformative Design Thinking Seminar 2022 Edition to be held in Harare, Zimbabwe at Cresta Lodge. Looking at the wide range of speakers from different spectrum of the industries which include City of Harare- Town Planning; Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe; Institute of Engineers of Zimbabwe, National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe; several participating captains of industries from the Financial, Insurance Institutions- Construction industry. That was a must for me to attend.

Attending The Transformative Design Thinking Seminar 2022 Edition by HOME &STYLES Media was one of the best things I have done for myself in the month of August. The event was well organized. I liked the practical flow of the speakers and great engagement in articulating questions, examples from the attendees. Discussions around simplified urban planning processes in response to the current demands necessitating the SMART CITIES models by Town Planners. The Green Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) necessitated by Sustainable development was also an important discussion facilitated by the presenter from the Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe and concurred by the presenter from the Institute of Engineers of Zimbabwe. In addition, Mr Chikukwa, Director of the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe shared a lot of insights with examples which opened my mind. The information imparted me with a lot of knowledge if not revelation.

?So, is “Design Thinking” the future? Being successful in today’s highly technological and globally competitive world requires a person to develop and use a different set of skills than were needed before (Shute & Becker, 2010). One of these skills is called design thinking. Like problem solving, design is a natural and ubiquitous human activity. Design thinking has also started to receive increased attention in business settings. This is because the design of products and services is a major component of business competitiveness, to the extent that many known companies have committed themselves to becoming design leaders. And although design thinking has become an integral part of the design and engineering fields as well as business, it can also have a positive influence on 21st century Leaders across disciplines because it involves creative thinking in generating solutions for problems.

In conclusion, that is, knowledge is used to produce work, and work is evaluated to produce knowledge. Let us engage in “Design Thinking”.

Macdonald Ndovi

Certified Marketing & Business Development Practitioner | Route to Market Specialist| Global Business Processes & Strategy Transformation| Project Management Analysis| Trade & Investments |Technology Consultant EMEA