Design Thinking Origins
Design Thinking emerged at Stanford in the 1960s. Rooted in industrial design, it expanded into fields as diverse as business and education, championed by innovation firm IDEO and Stanford's d.school.
Empathy: Core Principle
Empathy is pivotal in Design Thinking. It's about understanding users' needs deeply, beyond surface-level assumptions. Techniques like ethnographic studies provide rich insights into user experiences.
Define the Challenge
Defining the problem is critical. It's not about vague issues, but specific user challenges. This stage is less about solutions and more about clarity and focus on the user's perspective.
Ideation: Quantity & Diversity
Ideation in Design Thinking emphasizes quantity and diversity. Techniques like 'brainstorming' and 'worst possible idea' encourage out-of-the-box thinking, preventing premature convergence on suboptimal solutions.
Prototyping: Fail Fast
Prototyping is about learning through failure. Quick, cost-effective models enable designers to test ideas and gather feedback, iterating toward better solutions with a user-centered approach.
Test with Real Users
Testing is not a formality but an enlightening phase. Real users interact with prototypes, providing authentic feedback that often leads to unexpected insights and improvements.
Iterative Process
Design Thinking is inherently iterative. Each phase informs the other, often requiring a return to previous stages. This circular progression refines solutions, ensuring they truly meet user needs.
Where did Design Thinking originate?
IDEO in the 1980s
Stanford in the 1960s
d.school in the 1970s
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