Introduction to "Design Thinking" innovation method (nº 4)

Introduction

I recently had the great fortune to know the innovation method called design thinking, which is beginning to be implemented in our environment thanks to people like Amalio Rey (lecturer of the master class in which I participated). 

We could say that this method was designed by Rolf Faste at Stanford University in the decades of the 80s and 90s, but its basis were forged some decades before with the work of people like Herbert A. Simon or Robert McKim. 

David Kelley was a pioneer of its use on a practical level, with his brother Tom Kelley and the founding of IDEO at the end of the 70s. 

TED2012

 

How to build your creative confidence

The use of this tool in the business world has become famous thanks to companies like IDEO and of course, the Design School at Stanford University, which remains pioneer teaching this method to new generations of entrepreneurs and people involved with design management. 

The start point

 

As Amalio Rey says, whenever we hear the word "design", our established limited mental models photograph us a Product in the brain, and usually a consumer product and with a stink on luxury.  

But that assessment is totally wrong. "Design" goes far beyond this predetermined concept, especially when it comes to design thinking, which is a model of "expanded design".

And what does "expanded design" mean? It means that it applies to all processes in the Organization, not just to the R & D ones (usually just focused on the "product"), and to any Organization with an interest in finding differentiation from their competition, in seeking new business niches or to move forward in the organizational model.

Design Thinking = Product Design + Service Design + Social Design + Business Model Design + Design of Organizations. 

The fundamental basis of this tool is that the design (of the product/process we want to create/improve) starts with a market need (DESIRABILITY), then the technological solution that satisfies this need is searched (FEASIBILITY) and finally its profitability is analyzed (VIABILITY) prior to implantation.

Design Thinking paradigma - IDEO

A successful DT project involves the superposition of these three factors. This is the way to get a result with an innovative new design (EXPERIENCE INNOVATION). We can even exceed the expectations of the users at this point because the whole process is based on their needs and their feedback on proposed solutions along it.  

As another interesting fact, we note that by acting on two of the three factors, we are still getting innovative solutions that could be PROCESS, FUNCTIONAL or EMOTIONAL innovations. 

The method 

The main process of the method is shown in the following image:

 

 

Design Thinking process - IDEO

One of the most important points of this method is that it does not seek perfection, nor laboratory analysis. This is a method based on "doing". The prototypes are usually manually made, with goods we have close to hand (Lego, paper, clay, markers, tape etc.), so it requires to have very little investment. 

The prototyping and testing phases before implantation should be very fast, not looking for perfection but about being practical as already mentioned before.    

In closing, I would like to share with you this video of some students of Stanford University using this methodology to solve a problem identified in the market. Enjoy it!

DESIGN THINKING FOR DUMMIES (Stanford University)

 
Design Thinking method example