Chapter 1 What Is Design Thinking, Really ? Design Thinking Mr Sampath Siddam 1 Sampath Siddam
2 CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Chapter 1 What Is Design Thinking, Really ? Learning Objectives: Define the term “design thinking.” Understand the relevance of design thinking in problem-solving. Understand the importance of design thinking for organizations. Become familiar with various perspectives of design thinking. Understand why design thinking needs to be taught to business and management students. Sampath Siddam
3 Introduction The moment we hear the word “design,” certain images rush to our mind, such as images of beautiful palaces, buildings, patterns, jewelry, and clothes. Whatever may be the process and whoever may have created “designs,” they always fulfill a purpose! The purpose of a design could be to provide aesthetic appeal, convenience, cost saving, or efficiency. CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Sampath Siddam
4 Irving Berger (2015) claimed in a Wall Street Journal article that Herbert Simon had mentioned about it in his article, The Sciences of Artificial (1969). IDEO, world’s leading firm on design thinking, was set up in 1978. Stanford School of Design and Babson and design firms actively used the concept of design to solve day-to-day problems. Interestingly, the word “design” has been used both as a noun and a verb. CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Welcome to the World of Design Thinking! Sampath Siddam
5 When seen from the perspective of a noun, “design” refers to the shape and form of an object. As a verb, “design” describes a process of creating an object. Design thinking, on the other hand, encompasses both these perspectives and a lot more. It refers to the context approach, and evaluation as well. CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Welcome to the World of Design Thinking! Sampath Siddam
6 Design thinking has been seen as logic, principles, practices, tools, discourse, philosophy, and mental models. KPMG, a leading consulting firm, describes design thinking as “a structured process to find solutions to complex human problems. The Executive Chair of IDEO, Tim Brown, explains, “Design thinking is a human centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer’s toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.” CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Perspectives on Design Thinking Sampath Siddam
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8 Herbert Simon in his book The Sciences of the Artificial writes that design: “is concerned with how things ought to be – how they should be in order to attain goals and to function.” A problem-solving approach that also incorporates a philosophical stance on understanding the problem and its context. Design is about how things "ought to be" to achieve goals and function effectively. CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Sensemaking and Problem-Solving Perspective of Design Thinking Sampath Siddam
9 We have two types of designers: Expert Designers: Professionals trained in specific design disciplines. Diffuse Designers: Non-professionals who engage in design through practical, often innovative solutions. Four categories emerge when intersecting problem-solving and sensemaking with expert and diffuse designers as shown in the next slide. CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Sensemaking and Problem-Solving Perspective of Design Thinking Sampath Siddam
10 Cultural Activists (Sensemaking + Diffuse Design): Examples: artists, sculptors, comics). Grassroot Organizations (Problem-Solving + Diffuse Design): Examples: initiatives for green spaces, healthy food access, and clean water. Design and Technology Agencies (Problem-Solving + Expert Design): Examples: IDEO. Design and Communication Agencies (Sensemaking + Expert Design): Focus on creating original artifacts that convey meaning and context. CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Sensemaking and Problem-Solving Perspective of Design Thinking Sampath Siddam
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15 Beyond efficiency and profitability, organizations now strive to be customer-centric and socially responsible. Linear thinking and traditional problem-solving may fail when problems are not correctly identified or framed. It provides a holistic approach to problem-solving that incorporates customer insights and innovation for more sustainable and impactful solutions. Companies like Flipkart, Uber, Apple, Siemens, and Paytm have successfully applied design thinking to enhance operations, product development, and customer experience. CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Design Thinking in Tackling Management Challenges Sampath Siddam
16 Reasons why managers find it challenging to adopt a design thinking mindset: Overemphasis on Data and Analysis Lack of Experiential Solutions Traditional Thinking in a Dynamic World Misalignment with Real Needs CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Design Thinking in Tackling Management Challenges Sampath Siddam
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18 According to Forbes, “The top skills needed for employees include creative problem-solving, critical thinking, empathy, and digital dexterity, aligning closely with design thinking principles” Institutions are increasingly offering courses in Design Thinking, Big Data, AI, and Machine Learning to prepare students for a rapidly changing world. Companies like Nike, Apple, and GE Healthcare use design thinking across all levels to drive innovation and enhance profitability. CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Design Thinking in Organizations Sampath Siddam
19 Fig. 1.2 Top 10 necessary competencies for the employees CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Sampath Siddam
20 Fig. 1.3 Design thinking at various levels of organization CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Sampath Siddam
21 “Design thinking combines the creative aspects of art with the analytical rigor of science, enabling managers to explore ambiguous problems and develop testable solutions.” Elements like user research, experience pooling, and scenario testing are used to systematically explore and define problems and solutions. The design thinking approach involves overlapping steps that encourage continual refinement of ideas and solutions, adapting as new information is uncovered. By understanding consumer mindsets and needs, design thinking fosters functional innovation, leading to creative and practical solutions. CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Is Design Thinking an Art or Science? Sampath Siddam
22 Fig. 1.4 Skills associated with the right and left sides of human brain making design thinking both an art and science CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Sampath Siddam
26 Unlike traditional data-driven approaches, design thinking analyzes forms, relationships, behaviors, and human emotions to gain insights. Examines how a business, product, or service functions within its ecosystem and how different elements interact and impact each other. Investigates how people engage with ecosystems, It investigates the nature of their interactions, and what new insights can be gleaned from these patterns. It also seeks to uncover patterns in behaviors and relationships within and between ecosystems, using visual mapping to make sense of complex dynamics. CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Has Design Thinking Been Oversimplified? Sampath Siddam
27 Thank you CH1 What Is Design Thinking, Really? Sampath Siddam