DESIGN THINKING

it’s an iterative process which favors ongoing

experimentation until the right solution is found.
Design Thinking is an approach used for practical and creative problem-solving. It is
based heavily on the methods and processes that designers use (hence the name),
but it has actually evolved from a range of different fields — including architecture,
engineering and business. Design Thinking can also be applied to any field; it doesn’t
necessarily have to be design-specific.
Design Thinking is extremely user-centric. It focuses on humans first and foremost,
seeking to understand people’s needs and come up with effective solutions to meet
those needs. It is what we call a solution-based approach to problem-solving.
The human rule: No matter what the context, all design activity is social in nature, and
any social innovation will bring us back to the “human-centric point of view”.
The ambiguity rule: Ambiguity is inevitable, and it cannot be removed or oversimplified.
Experimenting at the limits of your knowledge and ability is crucial in being able to see
things differently.
The redesign rule: All design is redesign. While technology and social circumstances may
change and evolve, basic human needs remain unchanged. We essentially only redesign
the means of fulfilling these needs or reaching desired outcomes.
The tangibility rule: Making ideas tangible in the form of prototypes enables designers
to communicate them more effectively.
 WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF DESIGN THINKING?

• First and foremost, Design Thinking fosters creativity and innovation.

• We form patterns and habits that, while useful in certain situations, can limit our view
of things when it comes to problem-solving.
• Rather than repeating the same tried-and-tested methods, Design Thinking encourages
us to remove our blinkers and consider alternative solutions. The entire process lends
itself to challenging assumptions and exploring new pathways and ideas.
• Design Thinking is often cited as the healthy middle ground of problem-solving — it is
not steeped wholly in emotion and intuition, nor does it rely solely on analytics, science
and rationale; it uses a mixture of both.
• Another great benefit of Design Thinking is that it puts humans first. By focusing so
heavily on empathy, it encourages businesses and organizations to consider the real
people who use their products and services — meaning they are much more likely to
hit the mark when it comes to creating meaningful user experiences.
• For the user, this means better, more useful products that actually improve our lives.
For businesses, this means happy customers and a healthier bottom line.
 BENEFITS OF DESIGN THINKING

• Significantly reduces time-to-market: With its emphasis on problem-solving and

finding viable solutions, Design Thinking can significantly reduce the amount of time
spent on design and development—especially in combination with lean and agile.
• Cost savings and a great ROI: Getting successful products to market faster ultimately
saves the business money. Design Thinking has been proven to yield a significant
return on investment; teams that are applying IBM’s Design Thinking practices, for
example, have calculated an ROI of up to 300% as a result.
• Improves customer retention and loyalty: Design Thinking ensures a user-centric
approach, which ultimately boosts user engagement and customer retention in the
long term.
• Fosters innovation: Design Thinking is all about challenging assumptions and
established beliefs, encouraging all stakeholders to think outside the box. This fosters
a culture of innovation which extends well beyond the design team.
• Can be applied company-wide: The great thing about Design Thinking is that it’s not
just for designers. It leverages group thinking and encourages cross-team
collaboration. What’s more, it can be applied to virtually any team in any industry.
 10 MODELS FOR DESIGN THINKING

In 2004, business consultants Hasso Plattner and David Kelley developed a model that

would change the way engineers and designers, and eventually educators, business
executives, and social entrepreneurs around the country solved problems — specifically
human problems.
The Human Centered Design Process- the method to resist methods, as I like to think of
it- encourages people to identify and solve problems by doing 3 unintuitive, even
counter-cultural, tasks:
• Empathize
• Work Together, and
• Fail Effectively.
Plattner and Kelley popularized the HCD method of problem solving through the
development of IDEO, an international product design firm, and the Stanford Design
School. Today companies and organizations across America have adapted the model.
Below are 10 models to compare and contrast human-centered methods.
1. HASSO PLATTNER INSTITUTE OF DESIGN AT STANFORD

2. IDEO, INTERNATIONAL DESIGN AND CONSULTING FIRM

3. GOOGLE DESIGN SPRINTS (I)

4. GOOGLE DESIGN SPRINTS (II)

5. AUSTIN CENTER FOR DESIGN, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
6. DEEP DESIGN THINKING, DESIGN EDUCATOR MARY CANTWELL
7. SAP, SOFTWARE PROGRAMMING COMPANY(I)
8. SAP (II)- SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS AND PRODUCTS
 9. DESIGN COUNCIL UK, CHARITY FOR STRATEGIC DESIGN

10. DESIGN FOR AMERICA, STUDENT SOCIAL INNOVATION FIRM

While the defining words and number of stages of the Human Centered Design
process change across fields and organizations, the consistent values of
empathy, collaboration, and iteration remain the same.
 DAVID M. KELLEY

David M. Kelley (born February 10, 1951) is an

American businessman, entrepreneur,
designer, engineer, and teacher.
He is founder of the design firm IDEO and a
professor at Stanford University.
He has received several honors for
his contributions to design and design
education.

https://www.ideo.com/people/david-kelley
 HASSO PLATTNER 

Hasso Plattner (born 21 January 1944) is a

German businessman. A co-founder of SAP
SE software company, he has been chairman
of the supervisory board of SAP SE since
May 2003.

https://hpi.de/school-of-design-thinking.htm
l
 DESIGN STRATERGIES
it refers to putting together a plan to achieve an objective
or goal. This strategy can help differentiate our clients from
their competition.
Strategy is an integral part of any design, Architectural Design is nowhere beyond this
approach. One cannot just design for the heck of it. Design strategy, as per me, shall
consist of atleast -
• Understanding the project.
• Understanding User's/Developer's demand or requirements (spaces and activities).
• Site and context understanding and analysis(for site/masterplanning).
• Your planning and designing ideology, style or approach.
• Physical Programming (zoning; arrangement; grouping; - of acrivities/spaces) which
efficiently incorporates the above.
• Understanding building material and technology which suits your physical
programming.
• Expression of your design (appearance, ideas it reflects, political aesthetics)
 WHAT IS DESIGN STRATEGY?

• Design strategy refers to an integrated planning process that examines the

relationships between how design and business may complement one another.
• Simply put, the goal is to merge the business objective with creative solutions that
moves beyond just aesthetics.
• It could be described as inventing a language to express your client’s philosophy,
products or services more clearly.
• In a recent article in HOW magazine, design strategy is described as the process of
learning and discovery; acquiring a deep understanding of the client’s industry,
competitors, goals and opportunities that allow designers to formulate an
executable strategy.
• The target is to determine what is appropriate, obtainable and makes sense. Start
by asking yourself… what are we trying to accomplish?
• Don’t confuse design strategy with a creative brief. Design strategy is how we
recommend approaching a project while a creative brief frames the goals and
objectives. Both are important.
So what components go into a design strategy? Below is a list from the HOW article
written by Terry Lee Stone.

Any design strategy should address the following:

• Existing problems and ongoing challenges
• Current benefits and successes to be leveraged
• Unmet client/customer needs
• Changing client/customer behaviors and attitudes
• Emerging ideas and trends
• Opportunities to differentiate

Some of the steps to take for performing a design strategy include:

• REVIEW – What are the design’s measurable goals and objectives?

• SCAN – What internal and external factors impact the design?
• FORM – How will the design work to meet these challenges and opportunities?
• IMPLEMENT – What exactly will we do? Who exactly will do it? How will it be done?
• EVALUATE – How well does the design achieve its goals and objectives?
• MAINTAIN – Do we need adjustments or do we keep the design as it is?
• A design strategy affects every aspect from advertising & promotions to
employees to product design and encompass all media.
• A good and effective strategy is simple and understandable, even when the
objective is not.
• Successful design strategy is communicated in easy to comprehend terms that the
intended audience will understand. You’ll want to use all the tools at your disposal
to get the strategic value across.

So that brings us to the final question… will a design strategy result in a better
creative solution? The answer, if the design process is well thought out and executed,
then it will become obvious on whether or not the strategy was a success.

• As designers, our objective is clear, we need to absorb all the information at hand
from our clients, have a complete understanding of the objective and goal and be
able to bridge the gap between creative solution thinking and the intended
purpose of the business strategy.
• The result: a better and custom defined design that communicates a clear message
to the specific audience we want to reach.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_N8IcDFZ4w
 HOW TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE DESIGN STRATEGY
1) Define your problem.
Who are you? What do you stand for? What is unique about your problem. (compared
with the many others available)? Defining your problem may be more difficult than you
think but is an important part of creating your design strategy – you need to know where
you are before thinking about where you’re headed!

2) Specify your goals 

One of the initial steps in creating an effective design strategy is to consider your ultimate
goals – what are you hoping to achieve? Without clear direction of what it is you are trying
to accomplish, it can be very difficult to create a strategy that is both purposeful and
effective – you need to know where you’re headed before you can find your way there!

3) Research and analysis

Yes, research can be a little tedious, however, it is a crucial part of understanding all
aspects of your audience, your competition and the market in which you operate. As a
business, you need to understand where you sit within the marketplace and how you are
perceived by customers and competitors alike. You also need to fully understand the wants
and needs of your audience – not just who they are. Audience demographics (including
their goals) have a major influence on the type of design that will be appropriate and thus,
adequate importance should be placed on this seemingly mundane task.
4) Find the gaps – and fill them!
Through your research, what kinds of gaps have you noticed? What customer needs are
not currently being met? What existing problems are being faced by the industry? What
new opportunities are waiting to be leveraged? The best way to differentiate yourself
from your competitors is to actually be different. By creating solutions (or new solutions)
to existing problems, you are ensuring the validity and exclusivity of your brand and
creating a tangible point of difference for customers/potential customers to recognize.

5) Turning objectives into strategy

So now that all the important information has been ascertained, the question is how do
we turn our objectives and research insights into a compelling design?

6) Measure results & review success 

The final step in creating an effective design strategy is to measure the effectiveness of
your work. This step is crucial, otherwise how else would we know if what we are doing
actually works? Surveys and feedback (qualitative data) can also be useful where key
metrics (quantitative data) are unable to be obtained.