Design Thinking

Solve problems creatively to innovate, enhance user experience and more

Spend about 10 seconds on social media and it’s easy to see the problems that exist. Customers are fed up with frustrating customer service and difficult user experiences. They’ve had enough of traditional product development and service design where the idea comes first and the customer need follows.

And, their patience is thinner than ever. In fact, 65 percent of customers say they’ve ended a brand relationship after a single negative experience.[1] Research shows this isn’t changing anytime soon.

Business is not alone in these challenges. Government agencies and non-profit organizations are now expected to address intractable wicked problems—problems too big for any one organization to solve on its own.

What is design thinking?

Design thinking puts users at the core of problem-solving by engaging users in both defining the problem and brainstorming solutions. Sometimes, users tell us organizations have been solving the wrong problems. Other times, they can help us hone in on specific processes that are the worst offenders. In many cases, their deep experience or expectations set the stage for more elegant, simple, streamlined solutions.

Design thinking’s methodology helps us view problems from multiple perspectives—most importantly, that of users (where interviews, data analysis, empathy mapping and persona development come in). Developing visual representations of problems and solutions to aid in development of a shared understanding is another (where tools such as journey mapping, process mapping, sketches and prototyping lend value).