Design isn't magic. The secret is to follow a process.
In this lesson, we'll look at the design thinking process
and how to work it into your design practice so you can tackle any problem.
Because once we discover the problem,
it's easier to discover the solution.
At the core of design thinking is observation.
It's about taking a step back from the problem and looking at the culture and people surrounding it.
Tim Brown, the CEO of design firm, IDEO, gives a useful definition of design thinking.
He says, "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."
In other words, when we use this process,
we're thinking creatively about how our design might meet other people's needs.
There are 6 steps in a typical design thinking process.
The first is to empathize which is about understanding
the needs and values of our intended audience.
Then, we define our challenge and discover the problem to be solved.
Next, we ideate brainstorm possible solutions and ideas to get there.
While the prototyping stage sees us building and testing our solutions.
When we are happy with our idea, we enter the production stage,
and get it built before finally sending it all to launch.
One of the strengths of design thinking is its flexibility.
At any time, if it's not turning out the way we imagined,
we can return to a previous step in the cycle.
This is because problem solving isn't always linear. It requires conversation
trial and error and plenty of inspiration.
Design thinking is an incredibly useful strategy
to break down our design problems and find the right solution.
It forces us to take a beginner's mindset
being open to new ideas rather than thinking we have all the answers.
It's about accepting the problem, casting aside self-doubt so we can collaborate with others,
and truly listening to rather than judging potential solutions.
Another alternative to design thinking is the Osborne-Parnes Creative Problem Solving Process.
On a basic level, this encourages us to identify our problem, reframe it as a question,
brainstorm answers, and develop a solution from there.
See how similar this is to the design thinking process?
IBM has its own unique methodology that looks like this.
Culture, Discover, Envision, Develop, Reason, Operate, and Learn.
Again, it's a similar process to the design thinking process.
There's clear overlap in the way the processors help us solve problems.
Even within Canva, we have different processes fit for the outcome we are trying to create.
Our template design team follows something like this.
Research and understand, set up and gather, production, polish and finalize, close the loop.
While our product team has a much simpler, to the point process.
Envision and iterate, build and test, grow and improve.
No matter how you choose to solve your problems,
a design process will help you think more creatively.
It provides a proven pathway to follow,
to deliver results, and yes, your pathway might look a bit different to others,
but it's having a pathway that gives you confidence to push ideas to better outcomes.
We suggest starting with the typical design thinking process
and adapting with experience. Discover what works for you.
Begin with empathizing and learn the needs of the audience,
then define and discover the problem that needs solving.
Next, ideate on possible solutions before starting the prototyping stage to test the ideas.
Finally, enter the production stage. Get things built.
And then launch it to the world.
Easy, right?
Practice makes perfect. And the best thing about the design process is you
can practice it on any problem you come up against, not just design problems.
Think through the process next time you approach a task. Any task.
It can be applied to anything from
making a sandwich to solving big, complex problems that involve many variables and issues.
We're not saying it will always give you the answer you want,
but it will, at least, give you a pathway towards a solution.
Why not give it a try?