What is Design Thinking? [infographic]

Design Thinking is a process that is getting more and more attention in both the business world and the real world. Similar in spirit to the principles behind Agile/Scrum Methodology, Design Thinking spurs innovation and solves complex problems. It is being taught at the top business, design and engineering schools around the globe. It is one of the key reasons that Apple is so successful and the reason that malnourishment rates of children in Vietnam is cut in half. This infographic, presented by MJV, explores Design Thinking, how it works and when it’s used. Check it out:

 What is Design Thinking?

“A process of creative and critical thinking that allows information and ideas to be organized, decisions to be made, situations to be improved, and knowledge to be gained.”

– Charles Burnette

The process of Design Thinking

• Immersion to understand
• Ideation to create
• Prototyping to test
• Development to apply

Innovation is a complex and non-linear process that can be navigated using design thinking approach. But why use design thinking on business? Because according to a recent study, “only 4% of products released in the US succeeded in the market.”

MJV Technology & Innovation, a market leader in design thinking, works with clients such as:

• Bradesco
• Coca-Cola
• Rio de Janeiro
• Vale
• Petrobras
• Zurich
• Vivo
• Embratel
• Dufry
• Tim
• Itau
• Claro
• Icatu Seguros
• Mapfire
• SulAmerica
• Porto Seguro
• Governo de Minas
• Mills
• Rainmaker Foundation
• Xerox

Design Thinking applied in the real world

Children under the age of five in Vietnam

Before Design Thinking:

• Malnourished: 65%
• Nourished: 35%

After Design Thinking:

• Malnourished: 20%
• Nourished: 80%

But, how they did it?

• Immersion: Observe outliers – the very very poor families whose children need health.
• Analysis & Synthesis: The outliers added tiny shrimps, crabs and snails from rice paddies to their food. They also had multiple small meals rather than two large meals.
• Ideation: Creating cooking classes for families with children suffering from malnutrition by replicating the cooking habits of the outliers.
• Prototyping: Replicate the effort to more villages.

Design Thinking applied in the business

Challenge: Humanize the relationship between insurance provider and customer.

Immersion

• Interview with customers
• Researched company policy
• Shadowed employees
• Empathize with customer experience

Analysis & Synthesis

• Customers don’t understand jargon, are too emotional or mistrust the insurance company too much.

Ideation

• Communication should address emotional context and be more personal with the customer.

Prototyping

• Create personalized URLs for each customer with their information.
• Create “emergency guides” for different situations that are easy to understand.

Results

• Cut 60t of CO2 Gas emissions
• Saved $1,000,000 by reducing call center traffic significantly

The growing popularity of Design Thinking around the world.

Top business and engineering teaching Design Thinking:

• Rotman School of Management
• Berkeley, University of California
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Parsons New School for Design
• D.School Institute of Design at Stanford
• Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design
• Technical University of Delft

What’s your take? Have you implemented or experimented with Design Thinking in your organization?

Share your thoughts in the comments below…