The mistake they make is to try and empathize, connecting the stated problem only to their own experiences. “Most people don’t make much of an effort to explore the problem space before exploring the solution space,” said MIT Sloan professor Steve Eppinger. Sometimes, the problem you need to address is not the one you originally set out to tackle.
The first step in design thinking is to understand the problem you are trying to solve before searching for solutions. Here’s what you need to know to get started. Once you master the skills central to the design thinking approach, they can be applied to solve problems in daily life and any industry. And throughout the process it is critical to engage in modeling, analysis, prototyping, and testing, and to really learn from these many iterations. For instance, when trying to understand a problem, setting aside your own preconceptions is vital, but it’s hard.Ĭreative brainstorming is necessary for developing possible solutions, but many people don’t do it particularly well. They can be readily learned, but take effort. The skills associated with these steps help people apply creativity to effectively solve real-world problems better than they otherwise would. Since then, the design thinking process has been applied to developing new products and services, and to a whole range of problems, from creating a business model for selling solar panels in Africa to the operation of Airbnb.Īt a high level, the steps involved in the design thinking process are simple: first, fully understand the problem second, explore a wide range of possible solutions third, iterate extensively through prototyping and testing and finally, implement through the customary deployment mechanisms.