If you\u2019ve heard of Design Thinking, you may know that it\u2019s an ideology concerned with solving complex problems in a creative, user-centric way. But what does Design Thinking look like in action? What does the process actually entail?<\/p>\n
In this guide, we\u2019ll tell you everything you need to know about the Design Thinking process<\/strong>\u2014including where it comes from, why it\u2019s so valuable, and what it\u2019s used for. We\u2019ll then explore the five stages of the Design Thinking process in detail.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve divided our guide into the following sections. Feel free to skip ahead using the clickable menu!<\/p>\n Ready to learn all about the Design Thinking process? Let\u2019s go.<\/p>\n Before we can understand the Design Thinking process, it\u2019s important to get to grips with the ideology behind it\u2014that is, Design Thinking.<\/p>\n In simple terms, Design Thinking is a methodology that aims to tackle highly complex problems.<\/strong><\/p>\n Complex problems\u2014otherwise known as \u201cwicked\u201d problems\u2014 are those that are difficult to define and cannot be solved using standard methods and approaches. They are the opposite of \u201ctame\u201d problems, which can be solved by applying a tried-and-tested algorithm or logic. Let\u2019s explore wicked vs. tame problems in more detail now.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s imagine you\u2019re holding a dinner party for six people. You\u2019ve picked out a recipe for potato soup and you\u2019ve bought all the necessary ingredients.<\/p>\n At the last minute, one of your guests asks if they can bring three friends along; you now need enough potato soup for nine people! Fortunately, this problem is easily solved\u2014you\u2019ll simply multiply the quantities of each ingredient on the recipe in order to make more soup.<\/p>\n This is an example of a tame problem. Based on what you know about cooking, and by applying some simple math, you are quickly able to find a solution. Wicked problems, on the other hand, have no known solution or algorithm. In fact, the more you try to solve a wicked problem, the more problems you expose!<\/p>\n Unlike our \u201ctame\u201d dinner party conundrum, wicked problems don\u2019t have a final solution. Things like climate change, poverty, and world hunger are often-cited examples of wicked problems; they need to be tackled from multiple angles, and rather than looking for a single answer, they require a response that anticipates how the problem might evolve and mutate.<\/p>\n Wicked problems are everywhere in business, too.<\/p>\n Whether it\u2019s reinventing an entire business model, trying to maintain your startup culture as the business grows, working out how to please a new customer group, or resolving conflict between different departments\u2014none of these scenarios has a simple, tried-and-tested solution. They are complex, wicked problems that require Design Thinking<\/a>!<\/p>\n Design Thinking fosters an outside-the-box approach, with a huge emphasis on creativity, innovation, and the needs of the user. The Design Thinking process is used to apply the Design Thinking ideology to real-world, wicked problems. It offers a solution-based approach to problem-solving.<\/p>\n Unlike problem-based thinking, which tends to fixate on obstacles and limitations, the Design Thinking process is all about outcomes. It provides a non-linear series of steps that you can follow to come up with innovative, actionable ideas.<\/p>\n You can learn more about solution-based vs. problem-based thinking in our comprehensive guide to Design Thinking<\/a>.<\/p>\n Now we know what kinds of wicked problems we’re up against, let\u2019s see what the Design Thinking process looks like in action.<\/p>\n In the following video, design expert and mentor Camren Browne gives a beginner-friendly introduction to the design thinking process:<\/p>\n\n
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1. What is the Design Thinking process?<\/h2>\n
Wicked vs. tame problems<\/h3>\n
The Design Thinking process in action<\/h3>\n