I was recently asked, what is the value of design thinking. That's a tricky question to answer, because anyone who knows me can attest, I am passionate about design thinking and innovation.
I've been a proponent of it ever since my alma mater (that phrase certainly has a ring of nostalgic pride!), the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, introduced me to it. I grew to love it during all the time I spent learning about it and practicing it with the Business Design Club and Rotman DesignWorks. I missed it even more when I wasn't practicing it, because you'd often find me muttering under my breath, "This would work so much better if we'd apply a user-centered approach to it!"
My time at Rotman may have come to pass, although I am still enthused about design thinking and innovation, soaking every bit of knowledge I can, about the space. I'm often asked why design thinking, and simply put, it's a user-centric approach to solving problems, ergo, it makes sense. I loved Tim Brown's view of design thinking in his book, 'Change by Design,' where he described it as "integrating what is desirable from a human point of view with what is technologically feasible and economically viable."
The part about design thinking that resonates most strongly with me is that it puts people first, not just in thinking about and solving problems, but also in everyday experiences and how might we make things better. Design thinking prioritizes people to solve problems and delight users. And what makes it even better is that it is iterative, with a constant cycle of curiosity, creativity and improvement.
This may explain my passion for design thinking and innovation, although I decided to doodle it all out, and leave you with a visual of my view of the value of design thinking. I'd love to hear what you think, about the post, the doodle, and design thinking... So, drop me a line, and let's talk! :)