As designers we’re faced with creating novel and innovative solutions across multiple market sectors every day. On the outset this appears to be a daunting task, however over the years we’ve perfected the technique called Design thinking. We’ll run through the basics in this blog post. For deeper dives or to discuss an innovation audit, feel free to reach out.
Design thinking is a human-centred approach to problem solving, creativity and innovation. In plain English the process rephrases the problem focusing on the core needs of the user / stakeholder. Solutions are then found by expanding your thinking, before rationalising them. So, let’s get into it!
We’re going to introduce the Design councils Double Diamond model as a guide.
Design Council.
The first phase is aimed at helping people understand rather than assume what the problem is. Instead of focusing on your problem, expand your perspective of it and developing an understanding of the people who are affected by the issues.
A great way of doing this is using the 5 W’s (and an H!).
By answering these 6 simple questions you will start build a bigger picture of your problem. Be aware that the first time around you’ve probably focused directly on your problem and already started thinking of solutions. Great but, STOP! Go back and answer them again, this time focusing on the people involved and think about all the touch points (every time a person interacts with your problem).
Armed with the insight from the previous stage, you can now define the issues. Hopefully with your new broader range of knowledge you’ll begin to see alternative perspectives of your issues. It may be that you cannot solve all of the issues in one go and it may be that you develop a hit list of issues which need to be solved.
Explore multiple solutions, ranging from conventional to quirky – let your creativity flow! During this stage, it’s important not to restrict yourself with practicalities or constraints. Embrace the expansive nature of brainstorming and let your imagination soar – the possibilities are endless. Encourage collaboration as the collective input can generate a multitude of fresh ideas.
Remember, the more diverse the ideas, the more innovative the solutions can be!
After exploring all your ideas, it’s crucial to begin streamlining them. Begin by eliminating ideas that fall beyond your limitations. These could be ideas that surpass your budget, timeline, or technical capabilities. Experiment with multiple ideas on a small scale, discarding those that prove ineffective, and using failures as learning opportunities to enhance the ideas with potential.
Remember, testing and refining your prototypes is a key step towards success
