What is Design Thinking

Definition
Design Thinking is a human-centered, iterative problem-solving methodology that prioritizes
empathy, creativity, and experimentation to develop innovative solutions. It bridges the gap between
user needs, technological feasibility, and business viability.
It can also be define as a human-centered, iterative problem-solving approach that helps you
understand people’s needs, redefine problems, and create innovative solutions. It blends empathy,
creativity, and logic to solve everyday and complex challenges.
Think of it like this: instead of guessing what people want, Design Thinking helps you walk in
their shoes and build something that actually helps them.

The Origins and Evolution of Design Thinking

A. Early Foundations (Pre-1960s)
Design Thinking's roots can be traced to three key disciplines coming together:
• Industrial Design: The Bauhaus movement (1919-1933) emphasized "form follows
function," blending art with mass production.
• Architecture: Frank Lloyd Wright's human-centric designs and Christopher Alexander's
Notes on the Synthesis of Form (1964) introduced systematic design approaches.
• Cognitive Psychology: Jean Piaget's work on learning through experimentation influenced
iterative design.
Key Figure:
• László Moholy-Nagy (Bauhaus): Advocated for designing with user experience in mind,
even in industrial objects.

B. The Birth of a Methodology (1960s-1970s)

The term "Design Thinking" emerged from two seminal works:
1. Herbert Simon's The Sciences of the Artificial (1969)
• Introduced design as a way of thinking rather than just output.
• Defined design as a process to move from "existing conditions" to "preferred ones."
• Coined the term "satisficing" (solutions that are sufficient rather than perfect).
2. Horst Rittel's "Wicked Problems" (1973)
• Explained why traditional linear methods fail for complex social/design challenges.
• Wicked problems have no stopping rule (e.g., "What makes a good city?").
Practical Adoption:
 • Otl Aicher used iterative prototyping for the 1972 Munich Olympics' visual identity.

C. Stanford's d.school and IDEO (1980s-1990s)

The methodology crystallized through two institutions:
i. Stanford University's Design Division
• David Kelley (founder of IDEO and Stanford's d.school) merged engineering with human-
centered design.
• Developed the "5-stage process" (Empathize → Define → Ideate → Prototype → Test).
ii. IDEO's Breakthroughs
• 1991: IDEO redesigned the Apple Mouse, using rapid prototyping and user testing.
• 1996: The Deep Dive technique (a 5-day design sprint) gained fame through a Nightline
episode redesigning shopping carts.
Key Moment:
• 1992: IDEO's redesign of the Steelcase Leap Chair used ethnographic research to
understand office workers' needs.

D. Mainstream Adoption (2000s-Present)

Design Thinking expanded beyond products to systems and services:
i. Corporate Integration
• Apple: Jony Ive applied it to the iMac (1998) and iPhone (2007).
• P&G: Adopted it under CEO A.G. Lafley (e.g., Swiffer, 1999).
i. Global Frameworks
• 2005: Stanford's d.school formalized the Design Thinking Bootcamp.
• 2008: Tim Brown (IDEO CEO) published Change by Design, popularizing the term.
i. Public Sector & NGOs
• 2015: The U.S. government launched USDS (U.S. Digital Service) using design thinking for
healthcare.gov.
• 2018: Singapore implemented design thinking for public housing policies.

E. The Future: Design Thinking 4.0 (2020s)

Current trends reshaping the methodology:
i. Digital Tools:
• AI-powered user research (e.g., sentiment analysis of interviews).
• Virtual reality prototyping (e.g., testing car interiors in VR).
ii. Inclusion & Equity:
• "Decolonizing Design Thinking" movements emphasize diverse user voices.
 • Example: Designing menstrual products for low-income communities.
iii.Hybrid Models:
• Blending with Agile and Lean Startup (e.g., IBM's "Enterprise Design Thinking").

Key Milestones Timeline

Era Event Impact
1969 Herbert Simon's The Sciences of the Artificial Defined design as a cognitive process.
1973 Rittel's "Wicked Problems" theory Explained why design problems need iteration.
1991 IDEO designs the Apple Mouse Proved rapid prototyping's value.
2005 Stanford d.school founded Institutionalized the 5-stage process.
2015 USDS fixes healthcare.gov Scaled design thinking to government.
2023 AI-augmented design research Faster empathy phase via machine learning.

Why This Evolution Matters

• From Craft to Strategy: Design is no longer just about aesthetics—it's a structured
innovation engine.
• Democratization: Tools like Miro and Figma let non-designers participate.
• Evidence-Based: fMRI scans now study how users feel about designs (neurodesign).
Example:
The Dyson vacuum evolved through 5,127 prototypes (1980s–today), embodying design thinking's
iterative core.

Controversies & Critiques

1. "Process Over People": Some argue the 5-stage model has become a rigid checklist.
• Counter: IBM's flexible "Loop" model (Observe → Reflect → Make).
2. Cultural Bias: Early methods favored Western user perspectives.
• Fix: IDEO's Human-Centered Design Toolkit (2009) for global contexts.
3. ROI Debate: Hard to quantify design thinking's financial impact.
• Data: Forrester found design-led companies outperform S&P by 211%.

The 5 Stages of Design Thinking: A Comprehensive Breakdown

Design Thinking's power lies in its structured yet flexible approach to problem-solving. Let's
examine each stage in granular detail, with practical methodologies, tools, and real-world examples.
1. Empathize: The Foundation of Human-Centered Design
Objective: Develop a deep, unbiased understanding of users' needs, behaviors, and pain points.
Key Methods:
• Ethnographic Research: Observe users in their natural environment.
Example: IDEO studied nurses' workflows for 48 hours to redesign hospital shift changes.
• User Interviews: Conduct 1:1 open-ended conversations (30–60 mins).
Pro Tip: Ask "Why?" five times to uncover root causes (Toyota's 5 Whys).
• Empathy Mapping: Visualize what users say, think, do, and feel (see Fig. 1).
Tools:
• AEIOU Framework: Organize observations into Activities, Environments, Interactions,
Objects, Users.
• Camera Journals: Users document their experiences (e.g., diabetic patients tracking daily
insulin routines).
Common Pitfalls:
• Confirming biases (e.g., leading questions like "Don’t you find this frustrating?").
• Over-reliance on surveys (low empathy yield).
Case Study:
Airbnb’s Turnaround (2009)
• Founders lived with hosts, discovering poor listing photos hurt bookings.
• Solution: Offered professional photography, boosting revenue 2.5x.

2. Define: Framing the Right Problem

Objective: Synthesize research into a clear, actionable problem statement.
Key Output:
• Point of View (POV) Statement:
"[User] needs [need] because [insight]."
Example: "Elderly arthritis patients need easy-grip utensils because stiff joints make holding
thin handles painful."
Methods:
• Affinity Clustering: Group observations into themes (use sticky notes).
• Journey Mapping: Visualize user emotions at each touchpoint (see Fig. 2).
• 5 Whys: Drill down to root causes (e.g., "Why are patients skipping meds?" →
"Forgetfulness" → "Complex schedules").
Tools:
• Fishbone Diagrams: Identify causal factors (e.g., healthcare barriers: cost, access,
education).
 • How Might We (HMW): Reframe problems as opportunities.
Example: "HMW make medication tracking effortless for seniors?"
Red Flags:
• Vague statements: "Improve patient outcomes." (Too broad)
• Solution bias: "Design a pill reminder app." (Premature)

3. Ideate: Divergent and Convergent Thinking

Objective: Generate a wide range of solutions without constraints.
Techniques:
• Brainstorming Rules (IDEO):
• Defer judgment
• Encourage wild ideas
• Build on others' ideas
• Go for quantity (50+ ideas in 30 mins)
• SCAMPER: Modify existing solutions via:
• Substitute (e.g., replace pill bottles with blister packs)
• Combine (e.g., pillbox + alarm clock)
• Worst Possible Idea: Reverse thinking to spark creativity.
Tools:
• 6-3-5 Method: 6 people write 3 ideas in 5 minutes, then rotate.
• Bodystorming: Act out solutions (e.g., simulating wheelchair navigation).
Case Study:
Procter & Gamble’s Swiffer
• Problem: Mops push dirt around.
• Wild Idea: "What if we pick up dirt instead of pushing it?"
• Result: $500M product line.

4. Prototype: Fail Fast, Learn Faster

Objective: Build low-cost, tangible representations to test ideas.
Fidelity Spectrum:

Type Cost Purpose Example

Paper N0 Test concepts quickly Sketch of app interface
3D Printed NN Evaluate form/fit Ergonomics of a new handle
Digital N Simulate interactions Figma clickable mockup

Methods:
• Rapid Prototyping: Build in hours (not weeks).
Example: Dropbox’s video demo (fake UI) validated demand before coding.
• Wizard of Oz: Fake backend (e.g., human mimics AI chatbot).
Rule of Thumb:
• Spend ≤10% of budget on initial prototypes.
• Test one variable at a time (e.g., button placement or color).

5. Test: Rigorous User Validation

Objective: Gather feedback to refine or pivot solutions.
Approaches:
• A/B Testing: Compare two versions (e.g., website layouts).
• Think-Aloud Protocol: Users verbalize thoughts while using prototypes.
• Eye Tracking: Measures where users look (e.g., optimizing dashboards).
Metrics That Matter:
• Success Rate: % of users completing a task.
• Time-on-Task: Efficiency indicator.
• System Usability Scale (SUS): Standardized satisfaction survey.
Iterate or Pivot?
• Iterate: If 70%+ of feedback aligns (e.g., "Make buttons bigger").
• Pivot: If core assumptions fail (e.g., users prefer voice controls over touchscreens).
Case Study:
Zappos’ First Website
• Test: Listed shoes online without inventory—just photographed local stores’ stock.
• Learning: Confirmed demand for online shoe sales before scaling.
Summary

Phase What It Means

1. Empathize Observe and talk to users to understand their experiences and feelings.
2. Define Use what you learned to clearly state the problem to solve.
3. Ideate Brainstorm creative ideas—no judgment!
4. Prototype Build a quick model of your idea (can be digital, physical, or even a sketch).
5. Test Share your prototype with users and use feedback to improve it.

Stage Interactions & Nonlinearity

Design Thinking isn’t linear; stages often loop back:
• Testing may reveal new insights → More empathy needed.
• Prototyping can spark new ideas → Re-ideation.
Example:
PepsiCo’s Spire Sweetener
• Tested prototypes → Users disliked aftertaste → Returned to ideation → Added citrus
extract → Final product succeeded.

Tools by Stage
Stage Physical Tools Digital Tools
Empathize Sticky notes, cameras UserTesting.com, Dovetail
Define Whiteboards, markers Miro, Lucidchart
Ideate LEGO, sketchpads Stormboard, Mural
Prototype Cardboard, 3D printers Figma, SolidWorks
Test Video recorders, surveys Hotjar, Lookback

Common Failures & Fixes

1. Skipping Empathy → Solution: Ban solutions until research is done.
2. Groupthink in Ideation → Fix: Use anonymous idea submission.
3. Over-Engineering Prototypes → Rule: "If it takes >2 hours, simplify."
Evolution of the 5 Stages
• 1960s: Simon’s 7-step model (Define → Research → Ideate → Prototype → Choose →
Implement → Learn).
• 2000s: d.school’s 5-stage simplification for broader adoption.
• 2020s: IBM’s "Loop" model (Observe → Reflect → Make) for agility.

Key Takeaway
Design Thinking’s stages are mindset shifts more than rigid steps:
• Empathize → Be a detective.
• Define → Be a storyteller.
• Ideate → Be a dreamer.
• Prototype → Be a maker.
• Test → Be a scientist.
Example in Action:
Netflix’s "Profile" Feature
• Empathized: Families shared accounts but hated mixed recommendations.
• Defined: "Users need personalized content without separate subscriptions."
• Ideated: 20+ solutions (PINs, tags, AI filters).
• Prototyped: Paper mockups of profile icons.
• Tested: 83% preferred profiles over PINs.

Why Design Thinking Matters in Engineering

It transforms engineers from "problem solvers" to "problem framers," ensuring solutions are not just
technically sound but deeply resonant with users. From the Apple Mouse to the Tesla Cybertruck,
design thinking bridges creativity and engineering rigor.
Example: Tesla’s iterative prototyping of car door handles based on user feedback.

Key Principles
• Human-Centered: Focus on real user pain points, not assumptions.
• Bias Toward Action: "Fail fast, learn faster" through prototyping.
• Collaborative: Cross-functional teams (engineers, designers, marketers).
• Non-Linear: Stages may overlap or repeat (e.g., redefining the problem after testing).

Applications in Engineering
• Product Design: Creating ergonomic tools (e.g., OXO Good Grips).
 • Systems Engineering: Streamlining airport security workflows.
• Sustainability: Designing eco-friendly packaging (e.g., biodegradable materials).

Design Thinking vs. Traditional Problem-Solving

Aspect Design Thinking Traditional Approach

Focus User needs Technical specifications
Process Iterative, flexible Linear, rigid
Encourages failure for
Risk Tolerance Avoids failure
learning
Outcome Innovative, user-validated Predetermined, efficiency-driven

Tools & Frameworks

• Double Diamond: Divergent (explore) → Convergent (define) → Divergent (develop) →
Convergent (deliver).
• How Might We (HMW): Reframing problems as opportunities (e.g., "HMW make
medication tracking effortless?").
• AEIOU Framework: Organize observations (Activities, Environments, Interactions,
Objects, Users).

Benefits
• Innovation: 80% of companies using design thinking report improved innovation
(Forrester).
• Cost Savings: Early prototyping reduces late-stage redesigns (e.g., saving $100K+ in
manufacturing).
• User Satisfaction: Solutions align with real needs (e.g., Airbnb’s turnaround through user
empathy).

Challenges & Mitigations

• Challenge: Resistance to ambiguity.
Solution: Train teams in iterative mindsets.
• Challenge: Time-intensive empathy phase.
Solution: Use rapid ethnography (e.g., 15-minute user interviews).
Case Study: Stanford d.school’s "Wallet Project"
• Challenge: Redesign a wallet for a partner.