Design Thinking approach

The design thinking approach was invented long before words like marketing and business were created. Maybe that’s why this approach is so powerful and efficient even now. The history of design thinking goes back to 300 BC when Aristotle whose influence on western thought cannot be measured had already looked at the importance of design thinking. He used rhetoric to prove that it was in opposition to analytical thought.

The first thinking system, which laid the foundation for western scientific thought, is what we generally refer to as deductive reasoning, analysis, or logic. (If a=b, and b=c, then a=c.) The second thinking system Aristotle discussed was a more open-ended process of supposition, hypothesis generation, and argument, which he called rhetoric.

This second, the more open-ended process gives us now the opportunity to evolve our products and pivot strategies successfully in such disruptive times. The main point of design thinking is to get results by following a simple framework. To be always on the top of the wave.

How? By understanding the people’s needs. Design Thinking method gives answers to such questions:

• What does your customer want?
• What are his/her pains and gains?
• Where can you find your customers?
• What is accomplishable?
• What is efficient for the business?
• How to maintain a flexible perspective in the vastly changing market?

Now, let’s get familiar with the steps one takes when conducting design thinking research.

Empathy

It all starts with fitting on your customer’s shoes. What size he wears, how many miles he went with them etc. To understand better this step you must first create the main business question. This question has to include How is your company going to change something in the business process with the aim of changing the way your persona feels about something. For example, How am I going to excel the level of trust within my new customers? Or How to determine at the beginning of a project the true needs of a market segment to create the most functionally useful product?

Based on the business question we can truly empathize. Who? What? Where? How do we get such information? By communicating. The only possible way of obtaining true data, by interviewing people. Note, that if you haven’t yet read Mom’s test by Rob Fitzpatrick, make sure you do before conducting any interviews.

The goal of this step is to figure out the need/problem of your persona. When you find the need/problem look up the opportunities which open to your business. For example, to obtain the trust of our new clients, we should more often show our successful cases and the outcomes others have. This way our new clients will be more likely to become our loyal customers.

Also, in this step, it’s best if you also create a customer journey map, it can bring you even more insights.

Focus

Now, when you have a load of data, focus on what suits your business question best. Sort out by priority and context. Clastarization of your insights can be helpful to see the bigger picture behind raw data.

Don’t stop yourself from being creative. Use your imagination. Draw mind-maps and always communicate with your team. The more, the better. Insights often come in time of brainstorms, when nobody is expecting.

Idea generation

On this step, it’s pure synergy. Here your main goal is to let your brain do its work. You now have a formulated business question and a bunch of clustered data that has the answer within. How do we let our brains work?

• You’ll need an awesome creative team
• A cozy room
• No critics
• Positive vibes
• Diverse teammates
• Writing down ALL the ideas
• Communication by the principle “yes, and..”
• Do not measure the ideas on the idea generation step!

When you’re done with the creative part, sit down and soberly assess the potential of the ideas. Are they hard to implement? Will they bring you closer to the answers you’re seeking?

Prototype

At this moment, you are ready to create the hypothesis. It should contain the idea you’re testing, what you want to change, the KPI, and the time limits.

Here you also should be ready to prioritize your risks. What can be the reason people won’t use this feature? Why could it become unprofitable?

Testing

Always check the value of your idea. What it gives to the persona, what it gives to the business. It’s very easy to check with the 5 seconds test, where if in the first 5 seconds a person doesn’t get what you’re offering, chances are you should make some changes.

Test, test, and test. Try out your idea in the real world and bring some additional value.

Summary

We hope this article brought you some value. Make sure to share your results after implementing this awesome approach to your business projects! Stay creative!

Author: Daria Kushnir

Editor: Lilly Zaremska