Consider the last problem you tried to solve or the last idea you attempted to execute and deliver. How did you approach the process? Did you take time to consider why and how the problem exists in the first place? Did you explore the multifaceted ways an end user might engage with your idea?
If not, you're likely not familiar with the concept of design thinking—a proven, collaborative approach to solving both everyday and organizational problems. In fact, research consistently shows that design-driven companies are more profitable and experience more retention than companies that aren't.
So how do you facilitate collaborative design thinking in your organization? A design thinking workshop can help you familiarize your team with the process and get the creative problem-solving juices flowing.
What is design thinking?
Occasionally, a new way of thinking about or approaching work leads to huge improvements in how work gets done. Enter design thinking, which is a structured approach to problem-solving that helps people break free of counterproductive tendencies that thwart creativity and innovation. And it's not just reserved for designers or creatives.
Design thinking centers on putting the needs of the user first. With the user always in mind, the focus shifts to challenging assumptions, redefining problems, and finding solutions that might not be readily apparent. It's a way of thinking, just as much as it's a hands-on way of working. Let's take a more in-depth look at each stage of the clearly defined design thinking process.
The five stages of design thinking
A few variants exist in the design thinking process. However, each of them centers around the needs of the user. The following stages are part of the five-phase model proposed by the Hasso-Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford, also known as d.school. Keep in mind that this process isn't necessarily linear.
Empathize
It's one thing to recognize that a problem exists, and another to put yourself in the shoes of those it affects. Design thinking is all about understanding the people you're designing for and developing empathy with the target user. That way, the result is a solution or product that truly serves your audience.
Define
What is the problem you're trying to solve? Why does this problem exist? How do people experience this problem? How might it be solved? Once you identify the problem and understand it from the user's perspective, you can establish some guardrails and clearly define the next steps.
Ideate
After defining the problem, examine the issue with a collaborative eye to challenge your assumptions about how it should be addressed. Taking the time to ideate and think creatively may help you develop more effective—or even game-changing—ideas.
Prototype
The only way to know if you've found the right answer is to test your hypothesis. Start sketching, prototyping, and building. As you build, you might need to revisit the previous steps. That's okay. Trust the process and be flexible.
Test
Building first and asking questions later isn't the right approach to every problem. For example, incorporating diverse viewpoints from the start may initially slow down processes but ultimately result in more inclusive products. However, the only way to create real value in the products you build is to test your ideas and then improve them.
What is a design thinking workshop?
A design thinking workshop provides an opportunity for a cross-functional team to collaboratively put design thinking into action to solve a complex business problem. This way, stakeholders can put themselves in the end-user's shoes together for powerful problem-solving.
During a workshop, participants will work through the design thinking framework with a series of exercises. Here are some examples of what that could look like:
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Empathize: Teams can build empathy maps or user personas to visualize a customer's thoughts, actions, and feelings when they experience a problem.
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Define: Teams should identify the underlying problem, then create a problem statement that serves as a foundation for the rest of the session.
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Ideate: Through a variety of techniques, like crazy eights or brainwriting, teams should come up with as many ideas to solve the problem as possible, then decide on the best solution.
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Prototype: Working together, the group will build a low-fidelity representation of their idea.
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Test: Some team members will act as users to see how they interact with the prototype, while others will observe. Together, they can then quickly identify what failed and what was successful and iterate on the solution before manufacturing a final product.
Benefits of conducting a design thinking workshop
Whether or not you're a designer, incorporating design thinking into your problem-solving process can help you deliver viable, user-centric solutions that speed time-to-market, improve customer retention, reduce costs, and boost ROI. Aside from those tactical, metrics-driven benefits, a design thinking approach can have a positive cultural impact on your organization.
Create a creative problem-solving culture
Problem-solving is an essential skill, both at work and in everyday life. A design thinking approach can help your team develop those skills and apply them to any challenge they face.
Turn initial failure into eventual success
Because a design thinking approach is inherently flexible and iterative, it allows for quick failure and learning. As a result, you can avoid the pitfall of seeing an ill-advised idea to completion only to fail thanks to an unexpected blind spot or barrier.
Foster innovation and teamwork
The very nature of design thinking encourages collaboration and thinking outside the box. The process gets everyone, regardless of seniority, to bring new ideas to the table, eliminating groupthink and encouraging innovation.
Build a competitive advantage
A design thinking workshop may deliver groundbreaking ideas or solutions that give your organization a competitive advantage.
How to run a design thinking workshop
Now that we've covered the basics of design thinking, let's talk about the "how." What is the most effective way to pull off a design thinking workshop? Here are some tips.
Set objectives
What do you want to get out of the workshop? Clearly define and state the meeting's ideal outcomes before you add it to everyone's calendar.
Determine and scope the problem
Be specific. A high-level goal of revamping company culture, for example, might sound exciting, but if the scope is too broad, you'll have trouble locking down actionable, achievable goals.
Create a design thinking workshop agenda
There's no quicker way to derail a meeting or workshop than by failing to set an agenda. Set an outline or schedule for the workshop and include it in the invite so attendees have time to prepare for each section. Like your design thinking approach, this agenda can be flexible, but it's still important to have clear milestones that you can reference to keep the workshop on track. Our free meeting agenda template is an easy way to start.
