Design Thinking für Innovation: Von Exploration bis Validation

The art of thinking outside the box and developing innovative ways of thinking

You certainly know the usual advice such as “You need to think outside the box” or “We need to think outside the box! “when it comes to finding creative solutions to existing problems. But how exactly do you put this advice into practice? This is where Design Thinking comes in — an approach that makes it possible to develop innovative ways of thinking and to move away from traditional problem-solving methods. Contrary to what the name suggests, Design Thinking is not just about visual design, but rather about applying the conceptual thinking and iterative approach of a design process to solve problems.

The focus of Design Thinking is to improve products by analyzing and understanding exactly how users interact with products and what problems arise as a result. Existing assumptions are critically questioned in order to find out whether they are still valid. This can be challenging as people naturally develop thought patterns that are difficult to break.

Design thinking is an innovative approach that combines traditional analysis with intuitive creativity. Through experimentation and prototyping, the most important part of the product — the user — is always kept in mind.

When and how do you use Design Thinking?

Whether you want to drive innovation in a business environment, develop new products and services, or establish a more experimental culture in your company, Design Thinking is the answer. The solution development process is divided into four phases: exploration, ideation, prototyping and validation.

Stage 1: Take a closer look at the problem

In exploration, you explore the initial situation of the process — the problem. Analyze who is using the product or service, identify users' biggest problems, highlight the uniqueness of the product, and consider how these problems can be solved. These four points are defined from as many different angles as possible:

• Who is using the product or service?
• What are the user's three biggest problems?
• What makes the product particularly individual?
• How can these problems be resolved?

You may get multiple results for the individual points. As a rule, however, these are only assumptions that have not yet been proven. Therefore, check them for accuracy, preferably in an interview with the user. Questions such as:

• Do you know problem X?
• Has this happened to you more often?
• How do you deal with it when the problem occurs?
• How could it be resolved?

Based on the answers, you can see whether your assumptions are being proven or refuted. If new assumptions are made after the interview, you will question them again in the interview as long as there are validated findings for all four areas of exploration.

Phase 2: Now it's time to break your head

The ideation phase focuses on formulating the ideas. Use a user journey map to describe the steps users take in using the product. Highlight the step where the problem occurs, identify other weak points, and note suggestions for improvement. Then create a user flow that shows the most important elements of the journey in a sketch.

Phase 3: Tinkering and crafting

In the prototyping phase, you turn the knowledge gained into a prototype. Create models, sketches, or images that simplify the solution. It is important to bring the findings from the first two phases into a visible form in order to validate assumptions and ensure that the problem is solved effectively.

Phase 4: Thoroughly test

During the validation phase, you seek a direct conversation with your customers and make the prototype available for testing. Give fictitious tasks and ask the test subject to describe each step. Thinking out loud helps to notice positive and negative experiences. Improve the prototype based on the feedback and repeat the test.

It's your turn now!

Design thinking is ideal for a small, interdisciplinary team. Make sure to include representatives from different areas of your company. Try yourself out creatively and give unusual solutions a chance. At the latest during validation, you will find out what your customers really need. Good luck!

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