Unveiling the Hidden Diamond in Design Thinking

In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, innovation is not just about solving problems—it's about understanding the deeper motivations that drive the need for solutions. The traditional Double Diamond model has long been a staple in design thinking.?

But what if there was an uncharted route that could unlock even greater potential? Through this article I tried to enhance the Diamond Model of design thinking by taking a step back and start with intent or inspiration which establish the foundation of exploring the problem space.?

The inspiration behind the Unveiling the Hidden Diamond?

Imagine starting a journey without knowing your destination. Traditional design thinking models, while effective, often dive straight into problem-solving without first understanding the core motivations behind the endeavor.?

However, we can take a step back and focus on what matters what is the intent or inspiration before exploring the problem by incorporating two additional steps: Inspiration and Articulation before Empathy. These steps aim to capture the initial motivation and clearly define the purpose before diving into user empathy and the problem-solving phases. Let’s explore this enhanced model and its flow from understanding "Why", to identifying “what" is important problems, to finding "what" is most viable solutions, and finally, "how" to solve the problem effectively.

Hidden Diamond “Why” : Identify the Intent - Vision and Mission

The journey starts with exploring the "Intent or Why." This phase delves into understanding the underlying motivations and causes that make a problem worth solving. The aim is to articulate a clear and compelling purpose that will guide the entire design thinking process. By defining a strong "Why," one could aligned and motivated, ensuring that the project is grounded in meaningful and strategic intentions.

1. Inspiration (Diverge) - Identify the Vision

The journey starts with exploring the "Why." This phase delves into understanding the underlying motivations and causes that make a problem worth solving. It involves gathering diverse inspirations and insights from various stakeholders and contexts and thus rame the "Vision" of the group or the individual. By defining a strong "Why," teams could be more aligned and motivated, ensuring that the project is grounded in meaningful and strategic intentions.

In the Inspiration phase, we cast a wide net to capture various motivations and sources of inspiration. This step is about understanding the broader context, exploring strategic goals, and identifying the deeper needs that drive the project and thus synthesize a Vision of the individual or the group.

2. Articulation (Converge) - Frame the Mission

After gathering extensive insights, the next step is to synthesize and distill these into a clear, focused statement of intent or cause. This involves prioritizing the most compelling motivations and aligning them with the strategic goals of the organization. Creating a mission statement of the project helps in articulating a well-defined purpose. This articulation serves as a guiding star for the entire design thinking process, ensuring that the efforts remain purpose-driven.

Second Diamond - “What”: Identify “what” is important problem worth solving

3. Discover (Diverge)

With a clear purpose established, the focus shifts to exploring the problem space. This phase is about identifying and understanding the various challenges and pain points that users face. Techniques such as user interviews, empathy mapping, and journey mapping could be used. The aim is to build a comprehensive understanding of the problem landscape

4. Define (Converge)

The insights gathered during the discovery phase are then synthesized to define the most important problem to address. This involves analyzing and prioritizing the identified issues to create a clear and concise problem statement.

Third Diamond - “What”: Find “what” is most viable solution

5. Develop (Diverge)

Having defined the problem, the next phase involves brainstorming and ideating potential solutions. This is a creative and expansive phase where a wide range of ideas are generated and explored. The goal is to identify innovative and diverse solutions that address the defined problem effectively.

6. Deliver (Converge)

In this final convergent phase, the focus is on refining and testing the most viable solutions. Prototypes are further developed and tested with users, allowing for continuous feedback and iteration. This ensures that the solutions are not only innovative but also practical and effective. The outcome is a viable and well-tested solution ready for implementation.

Next steps “How” to Implement the solution

The final phase is about bringing the chosen solution to life. This involves detailed planning, development, iteration and execution. Continuous evaluation and iteration help refine the solution, making sure it delivers real value to the users.

The Importance of Starting with "Why"

Coming back to the intent of this article on identifying and unlocking the “hidden diamond of design thinking”. By beginning with a deep exploration of motivations and articulating a clear purpose, one can ensure that their innovation efforts are aligned with broader strategic goals and are more likely to resonate with users. In the hidden diamond phase one can identify the inspiration and articulate the "Vision and Mission" of the design thinking process.

This approach also fosters a culture of purpose-driven innovation, where teams are motivated by a shared understanding of why their work matters. It enhances stakeholder engagement, as the clear articulation of intent helps align various interests and priorities.

Embracing the Hidden Diamond “Enhanced Triple Diamond Model”

We can call considering this hidden diamond before the usual design thinking process as “Enhanced Triple Diamond Model” to identify the intent and articulate the Vision of the Project. Incorporating the Enhanced Triple Diamond Model into design thinking process can lead to more meaningful and impactful solutions. It ensures that the entire innovation journey is grounded in a well-defined purpose, addresses the most important problems, and delivers viable solutions that are effectively implemented.

As we navigate an increasingly complex and dynamic business environment, adopting this enhanced framework can provide a strategic advantage, driving innovation that not only solves problems but also creates lasting value.

Conclusion: What Leaders Could Consider

For leaders looking to drive meaningful innovation, the focus on hidden Diamon could offers a strategic advantage. By starting with the "Why," the leader could foster and accomplish these possible outcomes

1. Articulation of "Vision and Mission" statement - The first hidden diamond could help team or organization to clarly identify the intent and inspiration of the project thus will help in proper articulation of the "Vision or Mission" of the project.
2. Enhanced Purpose-Driven Innovation -By starting with the "Why," organizations can ensure that every project is aligned with a clear and compelling purpose, driving more meaningful and impactful innovations.
3. Improved Strategic Alignment - The approach could helps align project goals with overall business objectives, ensuring that solutions not only address user needs but also contribute to the organization’s strategic vision.
4. Deeper User Engagement - A strong emphasis on user feedback throughout the process ensures that solutions are user-centric, increasing the likelihood of acceptance and success.
5. Higher Innovation Success Rates - By thoroughly understanding the purpose and problem before developing solutions, organizations can reduce the risk of failure and improve the overall success rate of innovation projects.

By embracing this enhanced design thinking approach, leaders can guide their teams toward more innovative, impactful, and purpose-driven outcomes. The Enhanced Triple Diamond Model is not just a tool for solving problems—it's a roadmap for creating lasting value in a complex and dynamic world.