4 Stages of Design Thinking

When we think of designing something, most of us tend to think of think of a tangible product, however, the thought process for design can be applied to business. Here are the 4 steps of design thinking:

Define the problem

Often when we are faced with problems at the workplace, we rush into finding the solution. Take a step back and try working out what the root of the problem is rather than the symptoms. Meetings never finish on time- this is a symptom of the root problem. The problem may that there is no meeting agenda, meaning they lack structure therefore overrun.

Ideate

Once the root of the problem has been discovered and understood it is time to start thinking of ideas to solve the problem. Be sure to think out of the box, it can be easy to fall into the trap of using the same ‘solution’ each time. Call it team members from other departments to help think up potential solutions.

Try and Refine

Pick a handful of potential solutions and try them out. See what works and what doesn’t. When testing the potential solutions, you need to ensure all members of the team are on board, and leave all judgment based on previous experiences behind.

Recoup and review all the potential solutions you tried. Think about the different elements within each of the solutions, will combining these helps create a ‘winning solution’?

Pick a winner

Decide which solution best suits you and your team. Commit time and resource to create an implementation plan.You may now have a solution to your problem this does not mean you stick to it. If it turns out doesn’t work as well as you initially thought, get the team back together and think up new ideas. This process is not linear, it’s about continual improvement.