What do you think when you see the word “design”? Do you think of futuristic products made by designers in large enterprises? Or of extravagant artwork in museums or exhibitions? Here’s what design thinking means.

The Basics

Design thinking draws from the designer’s strategy but that is where the similarities end. Design thinking is a problem-solving procedure that helps to yield innovations which focus on the customer and his needs. This user-centred approach defines the idea or problem-solving process. Instead of starting with a determined innovation, you approach the problem by collecting information about your potential customers and their contexts. By getting to know and understanding the circumstances of your clients, it is easier to look at the big picture and from there create ideas and potential innovations which eventually evolve into an efficient model. Design thinking usually follows a specific process with five stages:

1. Empathize: Learn about the context of your customer – Who are my customers? What matters to them?
2. Define: Craft a point of view which is based on your customer’s insights and needs – What are their needs? What do they want?
3. Ideate: Brainstorm and generate possible solutions – Crazy ideas encouraged!
4. Prototype: Create a prototype of one or more of your ideas and show them around – How can I show my idea?
5. Test: Share your idea with your potential customers and get feedback – What worked? What needs to be changed?

Using design thinking means thinking divergently and discovering new innovations which people desire and which are technologically feasible and economically viable.

Further links:
The 4:20 min video explains in detail what design thinking is by using examples from real life. The animation shows how design thinking functions and how it is used.
Here is a short history of design thinking, how it works and why it should be used.
Find here a detailed introduction to the five stages of the design thinking process and how they are connected by the Institute of Design at Stanford.