Design thinking - method for solving problems

Design Thinking is a method or an approach that designers often use to solve complex problems. Many believe that designers are handed a finished idea that they then "dress up with a nice appearance"

But design is more than that. At its core, design is about solving problems and understanding how things work. To succeed at that, you need to understand the users and their fundamental needs. But you don't have to be a designer to be able to think like one.

You can think like a designer in the way you lead, drive, create and innovate. Companies that want to get better at innovation therefore have much to learn from how designers think and approach problems - and here Design Thinking is a good tool to spark your creativity.

What is Design Thinking?

Unlike traditional problem-solving methods that are often linear and where you analyze and then draw conclusions, Design Thinking is a practical method in which you experiment your way forward. In Design Thinking you start from the users, that is those who will actually use and benefit from a product or service. Involving users early in the design process gives us valuable insights into needs and behaviors that form the basis for visualizing and materializing ideas and concepts. By visualizing our ideas in simple sketches, prototypes and stories that are continuously tested and improved, we create an efficient way of working. As a method, Design Thinking helps us identify potential problems at an early stage and thus improve our ideas before we have a finished solution, which is both cost-effective and time-saving

Design Thinking is characterized by:

• users and customers are the focus and part of the design process

• the approach is iterative

• short cycles of thought foster creativity and new innovative ideas

How does the method work?

The method is divided into different phases or steps that you jump between throughout the design process. For each phase there are also various methods and activities. To understand how the method works and can be used, we summarize here what the different phases entail:

Empathize

Everything begins with us as humans. Often, there are underlying needs that people themselves may not be aware of. In this phase, it’s important to be curious, listen, and ask questions such as what, how, and why. This helps us build an understanding of users and customers real needs, motivations, dreams, and behaviors as well as the culture and context they exist in.

We can explore the problem or challenge in front of us by interacting with, interviewing, or observing users as they, for example, use a website or product. We can also map customer journeys and create personas to gain deeper insight. In short, we adopt an outside-in perspective and strive to put ourselves in the user’s situation.

Define

Once we have a clearer picture of the users, it’s time to compile valuable insights and conclusions from the previous phase. By defining our insights as a problem statement, a so-called Point of View (POV), we can frame the problem and more easily grasp the challenge we are facing. A strong problem statement should include three parts: the user, the need, and the insight.

For example, it could look like this:

Idea generation

When we know where we stand and what we have to relate to it’s easier to understand where we’re going and to come up with solutions to get there. We all probably know the concept of “thinking outside the box”, and there is actually something to it. The goal of this phase is to explore and generate ideas and to think both big and small. We need to lift our gaze and understand the potential in different products and services. We also need to evaluate ideas and decide which are best suited to continue developing

Find ideas with a problem statement and "How might we?"

To be able to generate ideas and create a concept it’s good to have a clear problem statement that can then be solved. The problem statement can advantageously be formulated with a method called “How might we? / How can we?” which means it is a suggestion of how we can or could do it. Ideas about how do not need to be set in stone but can be revised agilely after being tested. “We” is also important because it is the participating members of the project who, together with their different skills, work out the solution.

Examples of questions:

”How can we convince parents that this independent school is the best choice for them and thus make them put their child on the waiting list?”

”How can we package an entirely new brand that conveys veterinarians’ expertise, has a twinkle in its eye, feels safe and reliable and does not compete on price — in a completely new e-commerce?”

A question helps trigger the brainstorming process in us and the fact that we are many problem-solvers immediately sets off the generation of ideas.

Build and prototype

By sketching, prototyping or visualizing our ideas already in an idea stage we can experiment and test them in a cost-effective way. A prototype could for example consist of a simple sketch made with paper and pen or wireframes.

Test

It’s only when we have visualized an idea that we can test it and gain valuable insights and feedback that help us improve, develop and discover new possibilities. We then get the chance to further get to know the users or customers. Design Thinking advocates that we quickly visualize ideas and test them. An important aspect of the testing phase is that what doesn’t work should not be seen as a failure, but as valuable insights that move the design process forward. It’s simply about learning from the experiences discovered along the way.

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