Design thinking is an important approach to problem-solving. In this article, learn all about each step of the design thinking process, including how to implement it and why it matters.
Whatever problem you’re attempting to solve next, whether it is in the field of business, design, or something else, it can benefit significantly from the application of design thinking. That is because design thinking is a problem-solving methodology that places paramount emphasis on the core principles of empathy, creativity, and iterative processes, which often result in the generation of truly innovative and effective solutions.
This article will serve as your guide to understanding the definitive, 5-step design thinking process. We'll break down each step for you, offering a comprehensive understanding of its purpose and relevance, along with a brief guide on how to execute it.
Contents:
- What is the Design Thinking Process and Why is it so Popular?
- Breakdown of Each Step of the Design Thinking Process
- Next Steps to Learn Design Thinking
1. What is the Design Thinking Process and Why is it so Popular?
Design thinking is a human-centred and creative problem-solving approach that places a strong emphasis on understanding and addressing the unmet needs of users. It prioritises the use of empathy to delve deep into users' perspectives, and uncover latent desires and insights that are often overlooked by conventional problem-solving methods.
Design thinking follows a five-step process - empathise, define, ideate, prototype, and test - in which iteration and continuous refinement play an important part. This can often make the process non-linear in its application, that is to say, these five steps are not always followed sequentially. You may frequently find yourself moving back and forth between steps, and therefore repeating one or more steps, in order to eventually reach the best possible solution.
The popularity of design thinking stems from its user-centricity, its applicability in situations where the problem itself may be ill-defined or unknown, and its capacity to fuel creative and innovative solutions. These give the process its transformative potential and wide application for problem-solving across industries.
Breakdown of Each Step of the Design Thinking Process
Let us now take a closer look at each of the five steps of the design thinking process, to better understand why they matter and how they can be implemented.
Step 1: Empathise
Empathising is the foundational step in the design thinking process. It involves putting oneself in the shoes of the end-users to gain a deep understanding of their needs, desires, and pain points. Empathy is not just about understanding what users say but also about comprehending their unspoken emotions, frustrations, and aspirations. This step establishes the critical human-centric perspective that underpins the entire design thinking approach.
Why does this step matter?
Helps understand user needs: Empathy allows one to step into the shoes of the end-users and gain a deep understanding of their needs, desires, and pain points. This enables one to formulate solutions that genuinely address user needs.
Aids human-centred design: This step ensures that solutions go beyond just functionality and recognise the emotional and psychological aspects of the user experience. This makes it possible to create products that resonate deeply with the user.
Reduces assumptions: By empathising with users and collecting real-world data through reliable methods, problem-solvers can minimise assumptions and biases that might otherwise influence the design of the solution.
Enhances innovation: By understanding the problems and experiences of users, one can uncover opportunities for groundbreaking solutions that might not be apparent through a purely analytical approach. The extensive research involved at this stage allows one to identify hitherto unknown gaps, giving one an advantage when it comes to creating solutions.
How to implement this step?
Putting oneself in the shoes of the user is a challenging task, especially when attempted on a large scale. This has given rise to various methods of data collection that can assist in making informed decisions and solving user problems. Let's briefly look at a few of these methods:
Interviews and observations: Both interviews and observations contribute valuable qualitative insights, serving as complements to the structured feedback gathered, from a large user base, through surveys and questionnaires.
Empathy maps: Creating empathy maps involves visualising user experiences by mapping out their thoughts, feelings, actions, and needs. This tool helps in synthesising qualitative data and developing a deeper understanding of the user's perspective.
Personas: Developing user personas involves creating detailed fictional profiles representing different user groups. Personas help keep the user in mind throughout the design thinking process.
Journey mapping: This method involves creating a visual representation of a user's journey, highlighting touchpoints as well as emotional highs and lows. It helps identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.
Shadowing: In shadowing, designers spend time with users, following their daily routines. This immersive technique provides first-hand insights into the user's experience and challenges.
Co-creation workshops: These workshops involve users and design thinkers working together to brainstorm ideas, create prototypes and explore potential solutions. This method fosters active user involvement and generates innovative concepts.
Digital analytics: For digital products or services, analysing user data, such as website usage patterns, click-through rates and user interactions can provide valuable insights into user behaviour and preferences.
Ethnographic studies: This involves conducting in-depth, long-term research into a user's natural environment. This approach is particularly useful for gaining insights into complex behaviours and cultures.
Step 2: Define
The second step in the design thinking process is to objectively define the core issue that one is trying to fix. At this stage, design thinkers delve deep into the issue at hand by studying the data collected, striving to understand it from the user's perspective and frame clear problem statements. This step serves as the bedrock upon which the rest of the journey is built.
Why does this step matter?
For problem-framing: This step is essential for framing a clear and concise problem statement that is grounded in the needs and perspectives of the users. Without a well-defined and user-centric problem statement, the process to follow will lack direction, making it challenging to come up with a targeted solution that truly serves the user’s needs.
For alignment: This step aligns the entire design thinking team and stakeholders by providing a common understanding of the problem to be solved and is essential to avoid miscommunication and misunderstandings as the design thinking process moves forward.
For evaluating success: Throughout the process, the problem statement can be used to assess whether the proposed solutions are effective. It provides clear criteria for evaluating the success of the final solution/product/service/design.
For generating ideas: The problem statement generated in this step becomes a catalyst for idea generation in the subsequent step. It guides the team in brainstorming creative solutions that directly target the defined problem.
For reducing risk: By clearly defining the problem early in the process, this step helps reduce the risk of investing time and resources in developing a solution that ultimately doesn't address the core issue. It ensures that the design efforts are focused and purposeful.
How to implement this step?
Defining a concrete problem statement is the sole objective at this stage and there is a wide consensus on how to approach this. Here are key touchpoints to keep in mind while defining the problem statement:
Empathise with users: As you have probably picked up from what you have read thus far, empathising with the user is at the core of the process. Before you can create a meaningful problem statement, you must first deeply understand your users. This is where analysing the research from 'Step 1' comes into play. By immersing yourself in the users' world, you'll be better equipped to formulate a problem statement that truly resonates with their experiences.
Use the "How might we" framework: The "How might we" framework is a powerful tool for shaping your problem statement. It begins with the phrase "How might we..." and continues with a succinct description of the challenge you want to address. This open-ended format encourages creative thinking and brainstorming of diverse solutions. For example, instead of saying, 'We need a new website,' you might frame it as, 'How might we make it easier for users to find information on our website?'
Focus on user-centric language: Your problem statement should revolve around the user. Use language that is drawn from their needs, challenges, and aspirations. Rather than a generic statement like, 'Develop a new product,' consider a user-centric approach such as, 'How might we create a product that simplifies daily tasks for busy professionals?' This approach ensures that the problem statement reflects the user's world.
Be specific: Avoid vague or overly broad statements. A well-defined problem statement should be specific and focused. The more precise it is, the easier it will be to brainstorm solutions and measure success. If your statement is too broad, it may lead to unclear, unfocused design efforts. For instance, instead of saying, 'Enhance customer experience,' consider specifying, 'How might we improve the checkout process to reduce cart abandonment rates on our e-commerce website?'
Step 3: Ideate
The ideate phase is a departure from the analytical stages that precede it. Ideation is where the magic happens in the design thinking process. It's the stage where the raw material for innovative solutions is gathered. By embracing creativity, utilising brainstorming techniques and fostering an open-minded atmosphere, one can harness the full potential of ideation.
Why does this step matter?
Builds a diverse pool of ideas: Brainstorming is one of the most common ways to ideate freely and effectively and come up with a variety of innovative solutions. It is recommended to use all relevant means of collaboration at this stage to build a comprehensive and varied pool of ideas.
Helps with problem reframing, if necessary: During the ideation process, design thinkers may discover a weakness in the problem that has been defined. Since design thinking is an iterative and non-linear process, ideation can aid in closing any such gaps before one moves ahead with the rest of the process.
Produces refined ideas: Ideation is not just about generating ideas but also about refining and evolving them. Teams can combine, modify and build upon the best ideas from the ideation phase, leading to more refined and effective solutions.
Helps overcome biases: Ideation allows for the examination and mitigation of biases that might influence the problem-solving process. By actively encouraging diverse perspectives and ideas, teams can reduce the impact of cognitive biases on their decision-making.
How to implement this step?
Here are some ways in which the ideation step is implemented by design thinkers.
Classic brainstorming: This involves a group of people generating ideas through free association. The goal is to build upon each other's ideas, and generate a large and diverse pool of ideas. You can also use digital collaboration tools like Miro or MURAL for virtual brainstorming sessions, allowing team members to contribute remotely.
Mind mapping: This method uses visual diagrams that connect ideas and concepts. It helps explore relationships between ideas and solutions and identify new possibilities.
SCAMPER technique: SCAMPER stands for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate and Reverse. In this technique, all of these action verbs are used as questions to stimulate ideation.
Provocation: This method uses provocative questions like "What if we did the opposite?" or "How might we break all the rules?" to encourage out-of-the-box thinking.
Random word generation: This technique involves picking a random word and trying to relate it to your problem. This can lead to unexpected and creative associations.
Step 4: Prototype
The Prototype stage in the Design Thinking process is where your ideas take shape. It's the practical manifestation of the creative solutions you've generated during ideation. This stage involves creating tangible representations of your concepts and testing them to refine and improve your solution, product, or service. These tangible representations can range from simple sketches to high-fidelity, near-final products.
Why does this step matter?
For visualising ideas: Prototypes allow you to visualise and communicate complex ideas in a concrete and tangible way.
For reducing ambiguity: By providing a tangible representation of a concept, prototypes reduce misunderstandings and misinterpretations among team members and stakeholders.
For testing concepts: Using prototypes, you can test your design concepts with real users and stakeholders to gather feedback and insights.
For validating assumptions: Prototypes enable you to verify whether the envisioned solution aligns with real-world user needs and requirements, and thereby validate assumptions that were made in earlier stages of the process.
For refining solutions: Through iteration, prototyping helps in refining and improving ideas and solutions, by addressing issues and enhancing the user experience.
How to implement this step
There are various methods and techniques for prototyping in the design thinking process, and the choice of method depends on your specific needs and goals for a project. Here's an overview of some common ones:
Wireframes: Wireframes are widely used for creating simplified, visual representations of the layout and structure of an idea or solution. They are essential for defining the basic structure and content placement for digital interfaces and websites. You can check this student project by AND Learner Abhishek Singh to understand how useful wireframes are in the design thinking process.
Interactive prototypes: Interactive prototypes are popular for simulating user interactions with a design. Tools like InVision, Figma and Adobe XD are widely used for creating interactive prototypes that allow users to click through and experience the functionality of the intended solution.
Paper prototyping: Paper prototyping is a low-tech, low-cost method that involves sketching ideas on paper and physically simulating user interactions. It's a simple yet effective way to ideate and test concepts.
High-fidelity prototypes: High-fidelity prototypes are often created with design tools like Sketch, Adobe XD or Figma, and they closely resemble the final product's appearance and interactions. These are used in later stages of the process for more polished and realistic user testing.
3D prototypes: In the realm of product and industrial design, 3D prototypes are commonly used to create tangible, physical models of products. 3D printing, CNC machining and other manufacturing processes are employed to bring these prototypes to life.
Step 5: Test
The Test stage in the design thinking process is where you evaluate your solutions to ensure they align with user needs and expectations. This step is pivotal in validating and refining your ideas, and turning them into effective, user-centric solutions.
Why does this step matter?
Reduction of risk: By testing early and continuously, you minimise the risk of investing time and resources in a solution that doesn't meet user expectations. While testing incurs some initial costs, it can ultimately save resources by avoiding expensive late-stage re-designs and re-work. Testing helps you identify and address issues before they become costly problems.
Refinement: Testing provides valuable insights and feedback, which can be used to refine and improve the design. It's a fundamental aspect of the iterative nature of design thinking.
Market fit: Testing helps gauge the market fit of a product or solution. It ensures that the designed solution aligns with market needs and trends, increasing the chances of market success and product competence.
How to implement this step
Several types of testing can be conducted to assess the effectiveness of your solutions.
Usability testing: This type of testing focuses on how easily users can interact with the design. Gathering direct feedback from users through surveys, interviews or user testing sessions is invaluable. This feedback provides insights into their preferences, frustrations, and suggestions for improvement.
A/B testing: A/B testing involves comparing two or more versions of a design to determine which one performs better in terms of user engagement, conversion rates, and/or other relevant metrics.
Prototype testing: Testing can start with low-fidelity prototypes and progress to high-fidelity versions as the design evolves. This allows for early feedback and refinement.
Next Steps To Learn Design Thinking
Through this exploration of the design thinking process, we have hopefully been able to illustrate the transformative potential of design thinking for problem-solving, and offer you a glimpse into its fascinating world. Now, it's time to take your journey further.
To truly immerse yourself in the principles and practices of design thinking, you can begin by exploring our list of the best design thinking books. This collection provides in-depth insights, expert perspectives, and practical guidance, making it indispensable for anyone on the journey of creative problem-solving.
For those eager to take an active step towards mastering design thinking, we encourage you to consider enrolling in our UX UI Design courses. Our programs are designed to provide you with the knowledge, tools, and hands-on experience necessary to use design thinking to become a proficient UX UI designer.
To dive deeper into the world of UI/UX design itself, consider taking the following steps:
- Watch this session by Shiva Viswanathan, Design Head of Ogilvy Pennywise, and Naman Singh, Product Experience Designer at RED.
- Talk to a course advisor to discuss how you can transform your career with one of our courses.
- Pursue our UX UI Design courses - all courses are taught through live, interactive classes by industry experts, and some even offer a Job Guarantee.
- Take advantage of the scholarship and funding options that come with our courses to overcome any financial hurdle on the path of your career transformation.
Note: All information and/or data from external sources is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication.
