Design Thinking is a Creative Problem Solving Process using the designer’s mindset and tools. It is a systematic and human-centric approach to understand the needs of target users and address challenges. It ensures that solutions (service or product) meet users’ needs and is technologically and economically feasible. It is also an iterative process to test and improve the solution throughout the entire development process.
The Double Diamond model below from Unleash HK (an adaptation from the British Design Council) illustrates four key steps in Design Thinking:
1. Discover
The stage to identify, research and understand the initial problem of the target user.
The goal of this stage is to build Empathy for your user in order to discover what people really need. By applying divergent thinking, your team should discover new insights and identify as many possibilities as you can.
Useful tools for the Discover stage:
- User Interview
- Observation
- Immersion
- User Journey Map
Click HERE for more details on the Discovery Stage.
2. Define
The stage to synthesise data and make sense of the findings collected in the Discover stage.
The goal of this stage is to Reframe the initial design challenge. By applying convergent thinking, your team should stay focused to define a clear problem that you should act on first.
Useful tools for the Define stage:
- User Personas
- Empathy Map
- Point of View (PoV) statement
- How Might We (HMW) questions
Click HERE for more details on the Define Stage.
3. Develop
The stage to create, develop and test the solutions through an interactive process.
The goal here is to develop a product that is ready for implementation. Your team should open your mind and generate wild ideas by practising divergent thinking. The team should test the ideas with target users and generate a feasible solution as a result.
Useful tools for the Develop stage:
- Brainstorming
- Creative Matrix
- Prototyping
Click HERE for more details on the Develop Stage.
4. Deliver
The stage to finalize, produce and implement the final solution.
The final stage is to launch the solution that can address the user need. Your team should keep capturing user feedback for continuous improvement.
Useful tools for the Deliver stage:
- Design Scenarios
- Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
Click HERE for more details on the Deliver Stage.
