Design Thinking: Final Assignment    Rhiannon Karim

Katia Rania

Design Thinking

Peer Reviewed Final Assignment

Submitted by: Rhiannon Karim

Challenge

I have recently completed a move, and the week-long process still haunts me. After

completing the modules of this course, it became apparent to me that design thinking can be

applied to all aspects of my life. My first chance to apply my knowledge occurred during my

move. Let me take you back to three years ago, when I was purchasing my stereo system. I had

met a young salesman; whose passion was sound systems. I believe he has four personally built

systems in his home to date. After two hours, I left the store with a completely personalized

package, a small map of connections he drew up for me, and an increasing sense of dread

growing in my stomach. I have never built a stereo system on my own and here I was walking

away with 40 ft. of copper wiring that I needed to personally splice and use to create connectors.

Fast forward five hours. I am sitting on the floor in front of my television completely distraught

and defeated: I could not get my system to work. I had to phone an expert the next day to

complete the installation for a fee.

During my present day move, I was determined to complete the re-installation of my

system independently. I wish I could say I had the foresight to create my own mind map of the

connections I had made, but who thinks of that before learning about Design Thinking? Not me.

My boyfriend connected the wires to my speakers, turned on the receiver, double checked the

cables, and waited for sound. None came. As he headed back to work from lunch, I set to work

on conquering my system. I did not want to experience the failure I did three years ago, and I

was determined to be successful. Before immediately jumping to frustration, I decided to try the

design thinking approach because I needed a creative, systematic approach to a challenging

problem that I was facing.

Selection

After I decided to try applying the tools of design thinking to this problem, I had to

choose where I would start. Clearly you start at the beginning, but that goes without saying. I

decided to start my process with the visualization tool. Being able to see the problem would

allow me to explore the solutions. As Katia Rania presents, visualization is a design tool

Design Thinking: Final Assignment    Rhiannon Karim

that is used throughout the entire process; from start to finish. The visualization tool forced me to

think differently, as I was using the right side of my brain (instead of the left). Not only was it

important that I define my problem, but it was also important that, as I moved through the design

thinking process, I continued to utilize the visualization tool. The visualization tool can be

applied to the other design tools discussed in this course, thus carrying me throughout the entire

process. Visualization also allows the problem-solver to think in a nonverbal way. Too often I

think in a linear, verbal manner; however, by using visualization, I could think in a more global,

creative manner. I selected visualization because it suggests I make a map or draw a picture of

my problem. I wanted to be able to utilize this map in the future if I needed it, so I felt like I was

killing two birds with one stone. The visualization tool suggested that I move through stages of

exploration, pattern finding, ideation, prototyping, and scaling. Visualizing was much easier to

begin with than physically changing the set-up of my stereo system because that required me to

move my equipment, as well as reconnect cables, potentially cut new cables, and even buy new

cables. I started with visualization because, without this process, I was looking at increasing my

time and cost with a high probability of failure.

Application

By using the right side of my brain, I was not focused on the step-by-step approach an

individual generally focuses on while installing equipment. Rather, the visualization tool helped

me explore the challenge of my stereo system, which enabled me to find a pattern. The pattern I

found was mostly that my boyfriend and I had used the same approach at least three times to no

avail. I believe there is a saying that goes, “repeating the same actions and expecting a different

outcome is the definition of insanity”. I was getting close to insanity before I consciously

decided to visualize. Once I had discovered this pattern, I was able make my problem tangible

and concrete. I drew a photo of the back of my receiver, television, and speakers. I was working

with the what is. I wanted to know exactly what is working, what is not working, and what could

be changed. I turned the receiver on to an FM radio, pulled off the front of my speakers, and

checked to see if my handmade copper wiring was still working. To my great triumph, it was

working. That meant that either the optical cord was not working or else it was an issue with the

receiver. I had another optical cord, so why not try it? Well, this cord was too short. So, I

unplugged my speakers, moved my receiver to a place I thought the cord could reach, and I re-

connected everything. The cord still did not reach. Even though I had made a conscious effort to

Design Thinking: Final Assignment    Rhiannon Karim

work in terms of design thinking, I slipped back into linear thinking immediately after I had

success with visualization. I found out the answer to the what is, and immediately went to what

works. Needless to say, it did not work. I returned to the drawing, or should I say visualization,

board.

My old optical cord has a red light indicating it worked, so why was I so fixated on the

cord not working? I had narrowed my problem too much. It was time to think of the what if. I

began to develop some concepts of the problem while looking at my maps. I knew the cords

were working, as well as the receiver, because I had tested them. I also knew my television

worked. Then it hit me, as I broadened my problem to the television, which I had dismissed

earlier because I knew it was a separate entity that was only connected to the stereo, I realized

the problem could be my television, not my stereo. I was not keen on moving shelves and heavy

speakers again nor purchase a new system to test a theory, so you could say I skipped the

prototyping step (aka what wows) and went straight to scaling (aka what works). I went into my

television menu and changed my sound settings. It worked! I cannot say that I was even

surprised because I had calculated the outcome during my concept development in the what if

stage.

Insight

I like to think of this as a thought experiment turned prototype to the use of design

thinking in my life. I was hesitant to try an approach I had never used before when I was alone

and out of my area of expertise, but I was comforted knowing that my potential failure would not

affect others because I was in a controlled space and I was alone. Thinking back to the course, I

started this thought experiment with the mindset of George, under the belief I was of the mindset

of Geoff. After I started applying what I learned, I was able to achieve the mindset of Geoff, but

it took me some time. I even slipped into the mindset of George a few times during the process. I

am so accustomed to working with a narrow mindset that it is easy to fall into the habit. My

boyfriend can attest to when I was slipping into a narrow mindset because he bore the brunt of

my attitude when my successes depreciated and my frustration multiplied. Without using design

thinking, I can easily say that I would have either re-wired my speakers unnecessarily or paid an

expert to discover my problem. Had I taken that route, I would have lost time, money, and

valuable knowledge about problem-solving and my speakers. Using visualization made my

problem coherent and concrete. Before I created a map, I was flying blind and trying various

Design Thinking: Final Assignment    Rhiannon Karim

methods of the same strategy. The problem felt as if it were beyond my scope of knowledge and

skills. Ironically, by broadening the problem, I was able to identify specific, targeted solutions

that were within my realm of knowledge. Ultimately, by broadening my thinking of the problem,

I not only found a simple solution, but I was also able to discover my competencies.

Approach

One thing I have ensured I did, was to keep my maps in order to help me in the future should

I need to set up my system again. My first installation was not successful and I did not keep

record of it to help me find a pattern. If I were to go back to last Thursday I would probably start

with a learning launch. While I know this sounds backwards as a learning launch is used in the

final stage of design thinking, it would have been extremely beneficial in this case. More

specifically, I exuded hubris when I set up my system in my entertainment stand and against a

wall when I knew I would have difficulties connecting it. Had I started the project from a design

thinking mindset, I would have known that keeping my hardware in an accessible place would

allow me to test different outcomes with greater ease. Starting with a learning launch may see

backwards, however, knowing that I was building a model (completing a practice run), would

have helped me be experimental and open-minded.

