Design thinking stands for a creative innovation process and (new) thinking approach that focuses on people and their needs. The potential solution and the complexity of the later product do not initially play an overriding role. Design thinking is used as a method to rethink business models. Ideas are to be developed from the perspective of the users, which help to solve problems.

The process goal is to promote collaborative creativity, often using unconventional methods in interdisciplinary team constellations.
Although the method has been much hyped in recent years, it has existed since the 1980s.

The Design Thinking Process

Design Thinking consists of six steps that must be followed. The individual steps can be interpreted creatively and unconventionally.

1. understand

Where are the pain points of the user community? How are the problems currently being solved? What can be done to make their lives easier?
Understanding the problem properly means doing intensive and careful research work.

2. observe

In this phase, the goal is to experience the users in action in order to better put ourselves in their shoes. To do this, interviews are conducted with the target group or they are accompanied in their everyday lives. The results of these observations must be documented in detail.

3. synthesis

The underlying information from research and observation is consolidated and viewed from different perspectives to provide a 360-degree view of the target group. As a result, patterns can be identified that map potential problems and solutions.

4. ideas

In this step, ideas are collected, often as part of a brainstorming session. The quality of the ideas does not yet play a major role. The more ideas the better. Since in Design Thinking an idea is not questioned until you try to implement it, no criticism is made in this step, but only diligently collected.

5. prototyping

In an iterative prototyping, one builds on the results of the idea generation. Prototyping is used to visualize and try out initial ideas during a workshop. The prototypes should help to get a feel for the product to be developed and answer specific questions that can be used to flesh out the idea.

6. testing

The final phase involves testing the idea with the user community, gathering feedback and successively optimizing the product to be developed on this basis.

Design Thinking in excerpts

Our general approach in projects is user-centered and even though many of the steps listed here, are essential components in our design process, we would never apply Design Thinking dogmatically.

Design thinking has the potential to burn important resources in the implementation of a product idea. Since the process does not allow for criticism in the ideation process, one runs the risk of pursuing ideas that are difficult or impossible to implement.

You should carefully consider whether design thinking is a suitable method for the planned product development and never offer a blanket workshop as a kick-off.