Why is design thinking so effective?

Introduction

Design Thinking is a structured process in which we strive to understand the customer, challenge assumptions, and reframe obstacles to identify better solutions that may not be clear based on our initial level of understanding of the problem. It is an idea and a process for solving challenges creatively while keeping the end-user/human in mind. 

Apple, Disney, Microsoft, and IBM are among the Fortune 500 companies that have proved the intrinsic worth of “design thinking” as a competitive advantage that benefits the bottom line and promotes corporate growth. Design Thinking is taught at leading universities worldwide, including Stanford, Harvard, and others. But do you understand what Design Thinking entails? And why is it so effective? Here, we’ll get right to the point and tell you why it’s so popular.

Design Thinking Technique

Design thinking is an iterative and human-centric approach to solve business challenges and involves several stages or phases to get the intended result. 

Let’s look more closely at the five stages that designers must take:

1. Recognize and empathize with consumers in a wide range of scenarios.

2. Begin by outlining the major challenges to adopt a problem-solving mindset.

3. Use brainstorming to come up with better solutions to existing problems.

4. Create product prototypes by picturing ideal user experiences from the perspective of customers.

5. Perform a thorough product test to rule out any potential concerns.

How is design thinking effective?

Design thinking combines creative and analytical thinking to help the organization with decision making, consolidation of information and ideas, and acquiring knowledge. It’s a mindset that focuses on solutions rather than problems.

Here are some of the reasons why it works so well: 

• Innovative Solutions: Businesses often fall into the trap of internally developing concepts that are simply incremental upgrades on current products and services. Design Thinking stimulates creativity through a process that aims to generate truly original/innovative ideas and test them. The outcomes could be substantially more beneficial.
• Reduces the risk of introducing fresh ideas – Design Thinking emphasizes presenting prototypes to sponsor users early and frequently. This guarantees that fresh ideas stay on track to meet customer needs while reducing churn and the cost of failed ideas.
• Revenue and Returns: Launching a new product is always an expensive proposition, especially for huge organizations. Because it directs attention to the precise solutions people require, applying design thinking can help save large sums of money right away—immediate cost reductions are recognized as part of the ROI of design thinking.

• Speed of Learning – The Design Thinking approach aims to bring several people from various departments together in a room to produce unique ideas. Then, because everything is a prototype, you can quickly stage and test ideas, allowing you to pursue solutions with traction. As a result, learning and problem-solving move faster.

• Deliver value to customers: Design Thinking is one of the most effective strategies for bridging the gap between company leaders and actual customers/end-users. It is based on a strong desire to understand the people for whom the products or services are designed. This helps in narrowing down the solutions to the ones that provide the most value to most people.

Take Away

A design thinking certification can help you stand out and grow in your profession. You will enhance your working techniques and get a competitive advantage; as design thinking becomes more common in the corporate sphere, employers will place a higher value on it.

Enroll in a design thinking course program to learn more about the concept. The Stanford Design Thinking Online Course from Great Learning is one of several courses that can help you accelerate your learning and professional growth.