Design Thinking: Idea Generation

Dr. Shaima AlHarmoodi

Design Thinking Process

DEFINE
 Review
§ EMPATHY
gives confidence that you are working on a meaningful problem;
forces you to take a perspective other than your own

§ IDEATION
gives you copious and diverse design solution possibilities to
select, develop, and test

§ PROTOTYPING & TEST

gives confidence that your solution is desirable, feasible, and
viable; accelerates learning when you adopt a low-resolution
prototyping mindset
 EMPATHY
Gives confidence that you are working on a meaningful problem;
forces you to take a perspective other than your own
 Journey Maps

§ A journey map is a visualization of the

process that a person goes through in order
to accomplish a goal. In its most basic
form, journey mapping starts by compiling
a series of user actions into a timeline. Next,
the timeline is fleshed out with user
thoughts and emotions in order to create a
narrative.
 IDEATION

Gives you copious and diverse design solution possibilities to select, develop,
and test.
 § What are your How Might We questions?

§ How might we help John/Erica to…

How
Might Still:
We • From the perspective of the user, e.g. their
needs.
• No solutions yet!
• Needs to reflect an INSIGHT (wouldn’t have
known without the interviews)
 HOW MIGHT WE
Short questions that launch brainstorms.

You want to unearth a wide range of ideas with unique, specific

solutions.

• How might we redesign travel? Too broad.

• How might we create the perfect airplane seatbelt made of

recycled pop bottles? Too specific.

• How might we redesign an airline’s safety speech?

Appropriate.
 HOW MIGHT WE

§ Amp up the good: HMW use the kids’ § ID unexpected resources: HMW leverage free
energy to entertain fellow passengers? time of fellow passengers to share the load?

§ Remove the bad: HMW separate the kids § Create an analogy from need or
context: HMW make the airport like a spa? Like
from fellow passengers?
a playground?

§ Explore the opposite: HMW make the wait § Play against the challenge: HMW make the
the most exciting part of the trip? airport a place that kids want to go?

§ Question an assumption: HMW entirely § Change a status quo: HMW make playful, loud
remove the wait time at the airport? kids less annoying?

§ Go after adjectives: HMW we make the § Break POV into pieces: HMW entertain kids?
rush refreshing instead of harrying? HMW slow a mom down?
Exercise

One Word Improvisation

§ You will tell a story one word at a time!

• Stand with a partner.
• Start by one person saying one word.
• Now the other person says a word.
• Then the first person says a word.
• Go back and forth and try to tell a story.
14
 15

Brainstorming Video
 Have Have one conversation at a time.

Go Go for Quantity.

Build on Build on the ideas of others.

Brainstorm Encourage Encourage wild ideas.

Rules Be Be visual.

Stay on Stay on topic.

Defer Defer judgement.

 Have Have one conversation at a time.

Go Go for Quantity.

Build on Build on the ideas of others.

Brainstorm Encourage Encourage wild ideas.

Rules Be Be visual.

Stay on Stay on topic.

Defer Defer judgement.

 Selection: Post-Brainstorm

MAINTAIN YOUR INNOVATION POTENTIAL

§ Carry multiple ideas forward to learn.

§ Consider these selection criteria:

Choose your most meaningful and your riskiest

idea…
EXAMPLES
*This course includes materials licensed by Stanford Center for Professional Development on behalf of Stanford University.
The materials provided herein do not confer any academic credit, benefits, or rights from Stanford University or otherwise
confer a relationship between the user and Stanford University.