I recently had a conversation with a student about learning various thinking skills. He asked for advice on where to start. We discussed familiar thinking skills like Analytical Thinking, Systematic Thinking, Critical Thinking, and then we got to Design Thinking. He mentioned that he probably didn't need to learn it as he was not into app development or creating technological innovations.
This is where I had to pause him, just as I've had to with many others who often miss the point about Design Thinking. It's not just about learning to create technological innovations, as many training programs and seminars might suggest. In essence, Design Thinking is a highly useful thought process that can be applied to various aspects of our lives. It could also be referred to as Problem Solving.
In recent years, we've been overwhelmed by training and Digital Transformation initiatives that promote Design Thinking as a tool for employees to develop new solutions and foster innovative thinking in organizations. While this isn't wrong since Design Thinking structurally supports such activities, its core is much more profound.
True Design Thinking is about designing solutions to problems or addressing challenges we face. It involves designing our dress sense, workspace, work methods, and more. It's effective because it starts with a clear understanding of the problem, setting clear goals, and finding creative, fitting solutions. It involves experimentation and adjustments until we find the right fit. This process mirrors the Empathy / Define / Ideate / Prototype / Test approach that we are familiar with.
I explained this to help my conversation partner understand that if we grasp the essence of this discipline, not just its superficial portrayal, we can unlock its value and connect it to numerous benefits.
Comments