8 Design Thinking

Design Thinking is a process for solving complex problems and, similar to system thinking, design thinking relies on feedback loops and steps that require stakeholder input. Design Thinking is intended to foster innovation because it essentially democratizes the problem-solving process. Engaging in Design Thinking requires a mindset for experimentation, the necessity of collaboration, and optimism. At the end of the day, there needs to be a sense of hope and necessity for something better.^[1]

Liedka, Salzman, and Azer (2017) describe Design Thinking in four primary stages while recognizing that the steps are not intended to be linear. There should be regular opportunities for feedback to loop back to a previous stage, which will return the process to various steps. The stages are:

1. What is? This stage starts with the Systemic Thinking framework for analyzing a problem. It requires that the systems thinking process engage the perspective of a diversity of stakeholders in order to accurately understand the current situation or problem. This stage requires the analysis of data, conducting research with stakeholders, and the analysis of assets and unmet needs. The stage concludes when criteria are established for the solving of the problem and leads into the brainstorming phase.
2. What if? This is where stakeholders generate ideas for addressing the problem or issue. It is necessary that stakeholders most closely impacted by the issue are at the forefront of the brainstorming and that there are no constraints put on them. The ideas themselves are reviewed, combined, and reshaped into possible solutions.
3. What wows? At this stage, the ideas are compared against the criteria that were established at the conclusion of the What Is stage.  You are looking for the “sweet spot” for ideas most closely aligned with the criteria and the capabilities of the organizations or people involved. Again, stakeholders are at the center of this process and participate in the narrowing down of ideas that become “prototypes.”
4. What works?  At this stage, prototypes are tried on a small scale and evaluated with the expectation that the ideas will need to be further refined or eliminated before identifying strategies to scale up to larger interventions. The stakeholders co-evaluate and co-create the ideas which are tested.

The innovative solutions are not only those that are launched after this entire process but also those that are generated along the way.