Design approach
Having worked with many teams one thing I know is that a company’s process is always different from another’s but, the design approach can be the same.
Whether it is concepting a new product or feature, solving a usability issues, looking at improving efficiency or any other situation, the approach is the same. Design Thinking is a branded methodology but this design process is a proven, time worn approach that can be applied to any situation when looking to find opportunity to make change.
Discovery and user Research (the Empathize stage in DT) can be a discrete exercise but this phase is also ongoing and always if you think in terms of the broad goal of improving, whether that is improving process, communication or effectiveness. Observing and listening in any situation will most likely surface opportunity to zero in on things that could be made better or at least, done differently. It is important to watch for assumptions, question them, to try to always look at things from different perspectives. An understanding will begin to emerge and key problems or opportunities can start to be indentified (the Define stage).
I have often seen problems in teams or products that originated in these earlier stages; lack of thoroughness here undermines outcomes, particularly when assumptions are left unquestioned and/or alignment on what actually the key problem to be solved is.
Next, brainstorm, workshop and mull (Ideation) to come up with ideas on how things could be made better (i.e. to form a hypotheses). Test your ideas with some form of prototype. Try your idea at smaller scales first to see if you are on the right track. Prototypes build learning, understanding and therefore confidence in direction.
You can then start planning, defining and building something more robust. It is very important to make sure prioritisation is accurate at this stage and also to be employing the most appropriate methods and approaches.
Deploy & Monitor to watch effects (measure) and listen to feedback. You essentially go back to the beginning of the process at this point since you iterate based on what you learn in order to make better, solve new problems and optimize. The loop is continuous.
Top companies know that investing in Design brings businesss advantage.
