Synonyms: human-centered design, design-led problem solving, design innovation process
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Definition
Design thinking is a problem-solving approach that starts with the people who have the problem. Teams study user needs, define the problem, generate ideas, build low-cost prototypes, and test possible solutions before committing to one.
The process moves between exploring options and narrowing them down. Teams can return to earlier work when new evidence changes their understanding of the problem.
Use cases
Design thinking is useful when the team needs to understand an unclear problem before choosing a solution.
Solution first: A bank decides to build a chatbot before learning that customers call because statements are confusing.
Workshop theater: A company fills a wall with sticky notes during a 1-day workshop, then ships the executive's original idea without testing it.
No testing: A team spends 6 weeks researching and generating ideas, then builds the full product without testing a prototype.
How it's used in practice
Start with research. Interview and observe users before defining the problem.
Write a point of view. Frame the problem as "[User] needs [need] because [insight]."
Create "How might we...?" questions. Turn research findings into questions that give the team several possible directions.
Prototype cheaply. Use paper sketches or clickable wireframes when a rough version can answer the question.
Test and revise. Put the prototype in front of users, record what happens, and change the work based on the evidence.
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Pro-tip: Keep the research notes and test results with the final design. They show which decisions came from evidence and which came from team judgment.
Challenges & limitations
Diluted practice: Short training can teach the vocabulary and workshop format without giving teams enough experience with user research or testing.
Process over judgment: Teams can treat the stages as a checklist and keep moving even when research or testing raises a problem that needs more work.
Free resources
NN/g: Design Thinking 101 — the ideology, the 6-phase process, and how the phases group into understand, explore, and materialize
