Welcome to the age of design. Not only is it a leading topic in branding blogs and publications, but design has also taken over the traditional business press. When even the Harvard Business Review’s cover story is about design, it signals that design’s message has reached the executive levels in every industry.
This message is all too often centered on design as an end result, an artifact, and a noun. In fact, Design (with a capital D) is actually a process, a verb, and a way of making decisions. Design Thinking is a topic that has been going viral. With all of the articles, conversations, and talks focused on it, Design Thinking is here to stay.
Design Thinking is a problem-solving process that is very different than linear thinking, yet it is proving to be just as effective. Linear thinking begins with what is known or what can be verified. From that basis, the methodology progresses in a logical, mathematical fashion to a small set of solutions. Design Thinking challenges both what is known and what has worked or not worked before. It re-imagines the problem and approaches the core of the issue from multiple perspectives. Whereas linear thinking begins with, “What do we know?”, Design Thinking starts with, “Wouldn’t it be cool if…?”. Just changing this initial question redefines problems by looking at the larger picture of possibility rather than the narrow scope of “fixing the problem”. From the beginning, Design Thinking immediately conceptualizes a large number of potential solutions or cross-disciplinary ideas. To paraphrase Thoreau, this way of thinking first envisions “castles in the air” and then builds foundations underneath them.
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Whereas linear thinking is like climbing a flight of stairs toward one solution, Design Thinking is like diving into a pool of possibilities. This perceived “fuzzy logic” concerns linear thinkers. They often downplay Design Thinking as undisciplined, unreliable and appropriate only for design-related issues. In fact, Design Thinking’s logic is as effective, analytical and proven as any other thought process. It is not “black box” ideation; rather, Design Thinking is a disciplined regimen that can be applicable to virtually all problems. Prove it to yourself. Imagine the most difficult and complex problems, those in which addressing one issue often has unexpected consequences. Sustainability is one of those problems. Look to the leaders of innovation in this space. Linear thinkers ask, “How do we minimize the solid waste stream?” Design Thinkers, on the other hand, re-envision the problem to address deeper issues, such as: “How do we change consumer behavior?”, ”How do we teach cultures to be more responsible to their children’s children?”, and “How do we motivate ourselves to want less?” To the Design Thinker, rapid ideation of possible solutions is the easiest part. They are also particularly good at the next step: discerning which iterative strategies are immediately achievable. Design thinkers can quickly identify the individual building blocks and then effortlessly reassemble them under every potential solution. This discerning process quickly simplifies even the most difficult of problems. It breaks them into a series of smaller issues that can, in turn, each be resolved using Design Thinking. As a result, better solutions emerge more quickly and more efficiently. Apple’s fairytale success is a perfect example of this phenomenon. Once the home PC market had been established, the rush to dominate the portable computer or laptop market became the mountain to conquer. Both Windows and Macs started this race. Apple first changed the challenge with MacBook Air by suggesting that a portable computer didn’t need to be the main computer but an auxiliary one. Next, the designers and engineers at Apple mused, “Wouldn’t it be cool if you could type on the screen?” As a result, the iPad was born. For the design-minded among us, take courage. What traditional education and linear thinkers tried to beat out of you is now your most valuable asset: the way you think. Today, creative professionals like you are ceasing to be solitary creative consultants; you are becoming vital and respected members of the core team. Within those teams, you now have the opportunity to reshape thinking and drive the process of change. The next piece in this series will discuss how Design Thinking works within a team. Lastly, we will explore the crucial role that designers play in leading the Design Thinking revolution. |