Design thinking is a problem-solving approach that can look different in every scenario. It is a powerful system that I intend to learn more about and apply to my work outside of school to solve difficult problems that I have not succeeded in the past. As I described in Assignment 1, I am currently using the early stages of design thinking to create a better proposal for a potential client, to increase the probability of being hired. I look forward to practicing design thinking as I believe I will improve at it each time. I can see myself empathizing more, bringing fewer assumptions, forgoing solutions early on to sufficiently immerse myself in the problem. I would like to learn more about how design thinking is used for non-product, more abstract problems such as structures.
Assignment 1 allowed me to hear others’ thoughts about design thinking, comparing their words, and contrasting their actions. I found the IDEO shopping cart video particularly interesting as I think it led to insights about their process. For example, the way interviewee talked about their organizational structure was flat made sense when they emphasized not shooting down ideas and even enforced it by publicly calling them out. Also, how a more junior member was a group leader simply because was better suited to the task. A final example is how they leverage experts on the problem they are solving rather than learning everything themselves. Creating a more meritocratic, open-minded culture allows them to better work together and leverage their resources.
With A#2, you will get to practice this approach…that is when the fun starts!