Design Thinking

To be honest, I’ve never felt entirely comfortable with this term. Are we (designers) really better positioned to think through complex business problems just because we’re, well, designers? Is design thinking not just common sense repackaged? And what about our bias?

I’ve been mulling this over for a while now, and here is where I’m at:

Design enables us to visualize ideas and map connections in a way that stimulates creative thinking. It helps us make the invisible visible and is a valuable tool for a more human-centered approach to decision-making.

On the other hand, my training in ethnographic research methods taught me to always cast a critical eye on how research is conducted and data is collected, on the unconscious stereotypes we all have, and, in general how this influences what we think and do.

Designers often don’t dedicate enough attention to this potential bias, and in my opinion, without that critical vision, the output of design thinking sessions can be at best a bit meaningless and, at worse, full of prejudice. When we're talking about UX, the output is a bad user experience, but when we're working with enterprise-wide innovation, this can be catastrophic. And, with the increased everyday use of AI tools, robust strategies for avoiding potential bias becomes even more critical.

Over the years, as I’ve facilitated different workshops, my unease with the term and standard processes that lack any meaningful self-reflection led me to develop a framework for Conscious Design Thinking.

conscious-design-thinking-framework

Designed to enable clients to reimagine what’s possible, create transformative user experiences, and develop products and services that are centered around the needs of real people, the Conscious Design Thinking Framework is influenced by Anthropological methodologies and includes:

  • Data collection and analysis that is sensitive to potential bias and incorporates the flexibility needed to enable users to answer questions truthfully
  • Research methods that are conscious of the role of the researcher
  • Validation of ideas, thoughts, and concepts with actual users at multiple phases of a project
  • Structured space for self-reflection throughout the process for all key stakeholders
  • Guidance on how to sensitively incorporate AI tools into the research and innovation process to go further, deeper, and faster
discover-empathise-design-thinking

To download a free sample session contact me.