Design thinking final assignment

1. Akash Singh Final assignment design. Thinking. Action. Lab

2. 3 key takeaways 1. Assumptions are a part of everything we do. Design thinking is about

working with those assumptions as a starting point for creativity. Often, assumptions are taken  for granted and can lead to errors in judgement. Design thinking encourages empathizing with  the subjects of a challenge or issue that invariably challenge those assumptions. So the design  thinking approach for me, is about checking assumptions and incorporating multiple  perspectives into an idea. 2. Fail Early and often – success is not built on one idea that is an  instant 100% solution. Rather, success is built on many iterations, tries and failures. We often  just remember the success and forget all of the incremental steps that fostered that success.  Design thinking encourages prototyping of ideas, to force testing, feedback and failure early so  that ideas can naturally grow and mature. Thus the power of design thinking is to let the ideas  evolve on their own, outside of any one’s ego or attachment to any one solution. 3. Take the  other’s perspective – too often we get confined into our work processes and doing things ‘the  way they were done before’ – Design thinking encourages actively taking on the ‘other’s’  perspective, to feel their experience of a problem or challenge so that you can relate and think  of ideas that come from their perspective, not just your own

3. My design thinking process empathize identify define ideate prototype test implement

stakeholders challenge problem solutions possibilities prototypes solutions Emotional highs and  lows *interviews *questionnaires *problem statement matrix *sticky notes *prize *mural.ly  *classroom materials *group feedback workshop *plan on google docs

4.  Ideate and prototype ways to apply design thinking to my context: a. Brainstorm ways in which

you could start experimenting with any of the design thinking skills/mindsets right away as a  Management Consultant: 1. Conduct stakeholder interviews during client projects, particularly  at the beginning of a project 2. Design client projects as experiences – with their  perspective/experience in mind 3. Use a design thinking approach to redesign current websites  that clients use 4. Prototype stakeholder recommendations (that are traditionally seen as the  final output of our client engagements); test prototypes with stakeholders and clients; include  test results with recommendations for further action in final reports 5. Partner with firm Design  Thinking team to introduce concepts to team; revitalize current processes with design thinking  applications 6. Create a “Design thinking pop-up lab” for client engagements to solicit creativity  and feedback on long standing client challenges 7. Hold a design thinking workshop with  emergency managers in bay area; partner with federal clients and Stanford school

5.  Ideate and prototype ways to apply design thinking to my context: a. think more broadly about

how design thinking skills and mindsets could be applied to problems you care about (at your  work, school, and community or at home). Zoom out and think about how they could be applied  more broadly to your field or industry. 1. Design thinking for management consulting: DT can  ignite a shift away from processes and services and into client experiences; empathizing for  client challenges, understanding client perspectives and incorporating feedback into the design  process. Prototyping ideas with clients can help solutions take form and evolve, rather than  simply delivering a pre- established service. 2. Parenting: Take perspective of children, literally  get down on hands and knees and see from their perspective; empathize with their feelings and

emotions, try to understand their communication from where they are coming from. Prototype  parenting ideas… better schedules, routines, and methods for handling temper tantrums…  understand that every child and parent is different, so solutions should be customized :)

