Design Thinking Skill
Overview
Design Thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation and problem-solving. It integrates the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.
The Five Phases
1. Empathize
Purpose: Understand the people you're designing for.
Key Activities:
- User interviews
- Observation
- Immersive experiences
- Empathy mapping
Outputs:
- User insights
- Empathy maps
- User journey maps
- Pain points and gains
Key Questions:
- Who is the user?
- What do they need?
- What frustrates them?
- What delights them?
- What are their goals?
2. Define
Purpose: Synthesize findings into a clear problem statement.
Key Activities:
- Insight synthesis
- Problem framing
- Point of View (POV) statements
- "How Might We" questions
Outputs:
- Problem statement
- POV statement
- HMW questions
- Design challenge
Frameworks:
POV Statement:
[USER] needs [NEED] because [INSIGHT]How Might We (HMW):
How might we [action] for [user] so that [outcome]?3. Ideate
Purpose: Generate a wide range of potential solutions.
Key Activities:
- Brainstorming
- Mind mapping
- Sketching
- SCAMPER technique
- Worst possible idea
Outputs:
- Idea bank
- Concept sketches
- Clustered themes
- Selected concepts for prototyping
Rules for Ideation:
- Defer judgment
- Encourage wild ideas
- Build on others' ideas
- Stay focused on topic
- One conversation at a time
- Be visual
- Go for quantity
4. Prototype
Purpose: Create representations of solutions to explore.
Key Activities:
- Sketching
- Storyboarding
- Role-playing
- Paper prototypes
- Digital mockups
Outputs:
- Prototypes (any fidelity)
- Storyboards
- Scenarios
- Physical or digital models
Prototype Principles:
- Start rough, refine later
- Build to think
- Fail fast, learn faster
- Prototype to learn, not to prove
5. Test
Purpose: Gather feedback and refine solutions.
Key Activities:
- User testing
- Feedback sessions
- Observation
- Iteration
Outputs:
- Feedback synthesis
- Refined prototypes
- Iteration plans
- Validated concepts
Feedback Framework:
- What I like...
- What I wish...
- What I wonder...
- What if...
Design Thinking Mindsets
1. Human-Centered
Always start with people and their needs.
2. Bias Toward Action
Build to think. Don't just talk about ideas.
3. Radical Collaboration
Diverse perspectives lead to better solutions.
4. Culture of Prototyping
Make ideas tangible early and often.
5. Show, Don't Tell
Use visuals, stories, and prototypes.
6. Mindful of Process
Know where you are in the process.
7. Embrace Ambiguity
Stay open even when unclear.
Workshop Timing Guide
90-Minute Sprint
| Phase | Time | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Empathize | 15 min | Quick user perspective |
| Define | 10 min | Problem statement |
| Ideate | 25 min | Solution brainstorm |
| Prototype | 20 min | Concept sketches |
| Test/Feedback | 15 min | Peer review |
| Close | 5 min | Next steps |
Half-Day Workshop (3 hours)
| Phase | Time | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Empathize | 45 min | Deep user research |
| Define | 30 min | Synthesis + HMW |
| Ideate | 45 min | Multiple techniques |
| Prototype | 45 min | Multiple concepts |
| Test | 30 min | User feedback |
| Close | 15 min | Actions |
Full-Day Workshop (6+ hours)
Extended exploration of each phase with breaks and team exercises.
Common Techniques
Empathy Map
┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SAYS │
│ (quotes, phrases) │
├───────────────────────┬───────────────────────────┤
│ THINKS │ FEELS │
│ (beliefs, thoughts) │ (emotions, reactions) │
├───────────────────────┼───────────────────────────┤
│ DOES │ │
│ (actions, behaviors) │ │
├───────────────────────┴───────────────────────────┤
│ PAINS │ GAINS │
│ (frustrations, fears) │ (wants, needs, goals) │
└───────────────────────┴───────────────────────────┘User Journey Map
PHASE: Awareness → Consideration → Decision → Use → Loyalty
ACTIONS: [What user does at each stage]
THOUGHTS: [What user thinks]
EMOTIONS: [How user feels - graph line]
PAIN PTS: [Friction points]
OPPTYS: [Opportunities to improve]2x2 Matrix for Prioritization
HIGH IMPACT
│
┌───────────────┼───────────────┐
│ DO LATER │ DO NOW │
HIGH│ │ │LOW
EFFORT │ EFFORT
│ DON'T DO │ FILL-IN │
└───────────────┼───────────────┘
│
LOW IMPACTWhen to Use Design Thinking
Best For:
- Complex, ill-defined problems
- Human-centered challenges
- Innovation and new product development
- Experience design
- Service design
Less Suitable For:
- Well-defined technical problems
- Urgent decisions with no time for exploration
- Problems with clear, known solutions
See activities.md for detailed activity guides.