Design thinking is intended to help find solutions to complex problems and issues. The individual, agile phases in the process are crucial. There is a design thinking method for each of these steps in order to quickly develop solutions, create a better understanding of the target group and optimally reach the goal.
We present various methods.
What is Design Thinking?
Imagine you could approach problems the way a designer creates a new product: with curiosity, empathy and the freedom to experiment. This is exactly what design thinking is – a human-centered approach to innovation and problem solving.
At its core, design thinking combines analytical thinking with intuitive creativity and always focuses on the user. It is based on the conviction that every problem can be solved if you look at it from different perspectives and remain open to unconventional ideas.
A classic Design Thinking example is the use of empathy mapping, which helps teams to understand and analyze the perspective and needs of their target group.
Unlike traditional problem-solving approaches, design thinking encourages rapid prototyping, an iterative approach and continuous learning from feedback.
The method has evolved from its academic roots into a widely used tool in the business world to help companies stay innovative and create products that truly meet the needs of their customers.
Design thinking is therefore more than just a process – it is a way of thinking that combines empathy, creativity and rationality to find innovative solutions to complex problems.
The history of Design Thinking
The origins of design thinking take us back to the 1960s at the renowned Stanford University in California. This is where it all began with the visionary engineer John E. Arnold: he recognized that successful product development required more than just technical know-how – namely creativity and human-centered thinking.
From the academic to the business world
What began as an academic concept quickly developed into a powerful tool for companies. Companies such as Apple, Google and IBM recognized the potential and integrated design thinking into their innovation processes.
Global distribution
In the 2000s, design thinking spread like wildfire. Universities around the world incorporated it into their curricula, and companies in all sectors began to use the method to solve complex problems and develop innovative products.
Design Thinking workshops were developed to apply and disseminate this innovative method in practice.
Design Thinking today
Today, design thinking is no longer just a method, but a way of thinking that is used in a wide variety of areas – from product design and corporate strategies to social innovations.
Key development steps:
1960s: John E. Arnold lays the foundation with his ideas on “creative engineering”.
1970s: The term “design thinking” first appears in academic literature.
1980s: Rolf Faste, a student of Arnold’s, further develops the method at Stanford University.
1991: David Kelley, another Stanford graduate, founds IDEO, a design and innovation consultancy that popularizes design thinking.
2005: The d.school (Hasso Plattner Institute of Design) is founded at Stanford University and becomes a global center for design thinking.
The Design Thinking phases
Design thinking follows a structured but flexible process that is usually divided into five or six phases. Each design thinking phase has its own significance and contributes to the overall process. However, the structure remains the same depending on the model – often only the first two phases are combined into one phase.
Understand: This first phase is about familiarizing yourself with the problem. Delve deep into the context, research the background and gather initial information. The aim is to develop a basic understanding of the challenge and its framework conditions.
Observe: Now go into the field. Observe your target group in their natural environment, conduct interviews and record how people interact with the problem. This phase serves to gain real insights into the needs, behaviors and motivations of users.
Synthesise: This is where you bring together all the information and observations you have collected. Analyze the data, identify patterns and correlations, and distill the most important findings. The aim is to formulate a clear, concise problem definition that serves as the basis for brainstorming.
Brainstorm: Now is the time for creativity! Generate a variety of possible solutions for the defined problem. Use techniques such as brainstorming, mind mapping or lateral thinking. Encourage wild ideas and unconventional approaches. Quantity is more important than quality in this phase.
Prototype: Select the most promising ideas and make them tangible. Create quick, simple prototypes that illustrate the key aspects of your ideas. These can be physical models, digital mockups or even role plays. The focus is on visualizing ideas quickly and cost-effectively and making them tangible.
Test: Take your prototypes to users and collect feedback. Observe how people interact with your solutions and listen carefully to what they say. This phase provides valuable insights into what works and what needs to be improved. Use this feedback to refine your ideas or completely rethink them.
Note:
The phases are not strictly linear. It is normal and even desirable to jump back and forth between the phases based on the knowledge gained.
Iteration is a key element. Don’t expect to find the perfect solution on the first run. The process is cyclical and based on continuous learning and improvement.
Each phase builds on the previous one, but can also provide new insights that make you rethink previous assumptions.
Would you like to find out more about the different phases? Then our article on the 6 Step Design Thinking Process is perfect.
Who uses the Design Thinking process?
The good news is: anyone can use Design Thinking! This innovative and versatile method can be applied to a wide range of areas and problems:
Managers: To promote a culture of innovation and make strategic decisions.
Product developer: For user-friendly and innovative products.
Marketing experts: For the development of customer-oriented campaigns and strategies.
HR professionals: For designing better employee experiences and recruiting processes.
Teachers and lecturers: To create interactive and motivating learning environments.
Individuals: To solve personal challenges and for career planning.
Design thinking is particularly valuable for:
People who have to solve complex problems
Teams that want to increase their creativity and innovative strength
Organizations that want to focus on the user
Anyone looking for a structured approach to creative problem solving
The versatility of Design Thinking makes it a valuable tool for practically every area and every person who is open to new ways of thinking and wants to approach challenges innovatively.
Design Thinking methods for every phase
There are a variety of methods for each individual phase to help you achieve an optimal result. A comprehensive Design Thinking method catalog offers a selection of methods that are specifically designed for conducting workshops. We present some successful methods for each phase of design thinking.
Emphasize
What? How? Why? Method
This method helps to move from superficial observations to deeper insights.
This is how it works:
What? Describe objectively what you observe.
How? Explain how the user does something or how something happens.
Why: Speculate why the user acts this way or why something happens this way.
Example:
What: A user quickly scrolls through an app.
How? He hastily wipes his thumb across the screen, his eyes darting back and forth.
Why: He might be frustrated because he can’t find what he’s looking for, or he might be in a hurry.
Advantage: Promotes deeper reflection on user behavior and helps to go beyond the obvious.
5-Whys method
This technique helps to identify the root of a problem by repeatedly asking “Why?”.
This is how it works:
Start with an observation or a problem.
Ask “Why?” and answer the question.
Ask “Why?” again to the previous answer.
Repeat this five times or until you have reached the core cause.
Example:
Problem: Users leave the website quickly.
Why? They can’t find what they’re looking for.
Why? The navigation is confusing.
Why? The categories are not clearly named.
Why? The names have not been tested with users.
Why? No user feedback was obtained during the design process.
Advantage: Helps to distinguish superficial symptoms from underlying causes.
User interviews
Direct conversations with users to understand their experiences, needs and motivations.
This is how it works:
Create an interview guide with open questions.
Conduct individual interviews in a relaxed atmosphere.
Listen actively and ask follow-up questions.
Pay attention to verbal and non-verbal cues.
Write down or record the answers (with permission).
Tips:
Avoid leading questions.
Ask for concrete experiences instead of opinions.
Be open to unexpected findings.
Advantage: Provides deep, qualitative insights at first hand.
User Journey Maps
A visual representation of a user’s experience with a product or service over time.
This is how it works:
Identify the main phases of the user journey.
Record for each phase:
Actions: What the user does
Thoughts: What the user thinks
Feelings: Emotional highs and lows
Points of contact: Interactions with the product/service
Pain points and possibilities
Visualize this information along a timeline.
Example: For an online store, the journey could include phases such as “Discover”, “Compare”, “Buy”, “Delivery” and “Use”.
Benefit: Provides a holistic overview of the user experience and helps to identify critical moments.
Define
Affinity Diagram
An affinity diagram (or KJ method) helps to organize large amounts of information and identify patterns.
This is how it works:
Write each insight or idea on a separate sticky note.
Place all the slips of paper on a large surface.
Have the team sort the slips of paper into thematic groups without speaking.
Name the resulting groups.
Discuss the results and identify key issues.
Advantage:
Helps to bring order to chaotic information.
Promotes collaborative thinking and can uncover unexpected connections.
Empathy Map
The empathy map visualizes what we know about a user and helps to identify gaps in our understanding.
This is how it works:
Draw a large square divided into four areas: saying, doing, thinking, feeling.
Place a representation of the user in the center.
Fill each area based on your findings:
Sayings: Quotes and key statements
Doing: Observed actions and behaviors
Thinking: Assumed thoughts and beliefs
Feeling: Emotional states
Advantage:
Creates a holistic picture of the user.
Helps to recognize contradictions between statements and actions.
User personas
Personas are fictitious but realistic representations of your target users, based on research and data.
This is how it works:
Identify common patterns in your user research data.
Create a detailed persona for each main user type, including:
Name and photo (fictitious, but realistic)
Demographic information
Goals and motivations
Frustrations and pain points
Behaviors and preferences
A short quote that summarizes their attitude
Advantage:
Makes abstract data tangible and human.
Helps teams to focus on real user needs.
User Story
User stories are short, simple descriptions of a function from the user’s perspective.
This is how it works:
Follow the format: “As [user type], I want [action] so that [benefit/goal].”
Keep the stories simple and focused.
Add acceptance criteria if required.
Example: “As a busy parent, I want to be able to share shopping lists with my partner so that we can shop efficiently and not forget anything.”
Advantage:
Keeps the focus on user needs and goals.
Easy to understand and communicate.
Ideate
‘How might we? Questions (HMW questions)
This method helps to reformulate problems into possibilities and to structure the idea generation process.
This is how it works:
Formulate challenges as open questions that begin with “How could we…?”.
Make sure that the questions are neither too narrow nor too broad.
Use these questions as a starting point for generating ideas.
Example: Instead of: “Our app is too complicated.” HMW: “How could we simplify the user experience of our app?”
Advantage:
Creates an optimistic and solution-oriented mindset.
Helps to focus on specific aspects of the problem.
Brainstorming
A classic method for generating lots of ideas in a short space of time.
This is how it works:
Gather a diverse group of participants.
Define clear rules (e.g. no criticism, every point of view welcome).
Ask a clear question or challenge.
Encourage everyone to express ideas quickly and freely.
Make a note of all the ideas for the group to see.
Build on the ideas of others.
Advantage:
Promotes creative, free thinking.
Utilizes the collective intelligence of the group.
Brainwriting
A quiet alternative to brainstorming that suits introverted participants.
This is how it works:
Each participant receives a sheet of paper with a challenge or HMW question.
Everyone writes down their ideas in a set time (e.g. 3 minutes).
The leaves are passed on in a clockwise direction.
Everyone reads the ideas of their predecessor and adds their own or develops existing ones further.
Repeat the process several rounds.
Advantage:
Avoids dominance of individual participants.
Enables calm, focused reflection.
Worst Possible Idea
This unconventional method turns the usual approach on its head and encourages you to generate bad ideas on purpose.
This is how it works:
Ask the group to come up with the worst, most ridiculous or impossible solutions to the problem.
Encourage exaggerated and absurd suggestions.
Collect all ideas without evaluation.
Then analyze why these ideas are “bad”.
Use these findings to derive positive solutions.
Example: Bad idea: “Let’s make the app as complicated as possible!” Derivation: This often leads to discussions about simplicity and intuitive operation.
Advantage:
Relaxes the atmosphere and reduces pressure to perform.
Helps to identify and question assumptions and limitations.
Prototype
Sketches and diagrams
This quick and flexible method is ideal for visualizing and communicating initial ideas.
This is how it works:
Use pen and paper or digital drawing tools.
Quickly sketch out the main features of your idea.
Add descriptive texts or arrows to explain functions.
Use simple diagrams to illustrate processes or structures.
Advantages:
Fast and cost-effective.
Requires no special skills.
Easy to change and iterate.
Application example: Sketch the user interface of an app or draw a flowchart of a new business process.
Paper Prototype
This method uses simple paper materials to create interactive models.
This is how it works:
Create the main elements of your design on paper.
Cut out moving parts and use post-its for changeable elements.
Simulate interactions by manually moving or exchanging paper elements.
Advantages:
Cost-effective and quick to create.
Easy to modify during user tests.
Promotes creativity and teamwork.
Application example: Create a paper prototype of a website where users can navigate through different “pages” by “clicking” on paper elements.
Digital Prototype
Digital prototypes range from simple wireframes to interactive mockups.
This is how it works:
Use prototyping tools such as Figma, Adobe XD or InVision.
Create digital versions of your designs.
Add interactions and transitions to simulate the user experience.
Test on different devices (desktop, tablet, smartphone).
Advantages:
Enables realistic simulation of the end-user experience.
Easy to share and test remotely.
Can be used for complex interactions and animations.
Application example: Create a clickable prototype of a mobile app that guides users through the entire purchase process.
Physical Models
This method brings your ideas into the physical world, especially useful for product or room design.
This is how it works:
Use simple materials such as cardboard, Lego, plasticine or 3D printing.
Build a three-dimensional model of your product or room.
Experiment with size, shape and materials.
Advantages:
Enables haptic feedback and realistic size estimation.
Ideal for products or rooms that are physically interacted with.
Can uncover unexpected design challenges.
Application example: Create a cardboard model of a new product design or a true-to-scale model of an office layout.
Test
Feedback Capture Grid
This method helps to record and analyze feedback in a structured way.
This is how it works:
Create a grid with four quadrants:
Positive: What did the users like?
Criticism: What was criticized?
Questions: What questions arose?
Ideas: What new ideas were suggested?
Note down feedback in the corresponding quadrants during or after the test.
Analyze the results to identify patterns and key findings.
Advantages:
Provides a clear overview of various feedback aspects.
Helps to record positive feedback and potential for improvement at the same time.
Promotes a balanced view of feedback.
Application example: After a usability test of a new app function, you record praise, criticism, open questions and suggestions for improvement from the testers in a structured manner in the grid.
I like…, I would wish for…, what if…
This method encourages constructive feedback and creative suggestions.
This is how it works:
Ask the testers to formulate their feedback in three categories:
“I like…”: Positive aspects of the prototype.
“I would like to see…”: Suggestions for improvement or wishes.
“What if…”: Creative ideas or alternative approaches.
Collect the feedback on post-its or in a digital document.
Group similar statements and identify main themes.
Advantages:
Promotes a positive and solution-oriented feedback culture.
Encourages testers to think outside the box and think creatively.
Provides specific suggestions for improvement in addition to general feedback.
Application example: After presenting a new business process, gather feedback from your team such as “I like the simplified reporting,” “I wish we used automation tools,” and “What if we adapted this process for other departments?”
Sharing inspiring stories
This method uses storytelling to gain deeper insights into the user experience.
This is how it works:
Encourage testers to share their experiences with the prototype in the form of short stories.
Ask them to describe specific situations in which the prototype was particularly helpful or frustrating.
Pay attention to emotional reactions and unexpected uses.
Collect these stories and share them with the team.
Advantages:
Provides context-rich, qualitative insights into the user experience.
Helps to discover emotional connections and unexpected usage scenarios.
Makes abstract feedback tangible and memorable.
Use case: A tester tells how a new feature in your productivity app enabled him to meet an important deadline even though he was on the road. This story shows the real value and context of the feature.
triangility: applying Design Thinking methods
Not every phase in the design thinking process is straightforward – sometimes problems and obstacles arise early on that require a neutral view from the outside. This is exactly what we at triangility are here for. Our Design Thinking examples show how flexible and versatile this method can be in practice.
With us as your design thinking coaches, we co-develop every step of the design thinking process together so that real innovation can take your company forward.
Develop innovative services and offer an outstanding customer experience.
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Contact
Contact Verena if you need more information or want Design Thinking in your organization.
About Mia Rosenzweig
Mia Rosenzweig is an expert in new leadership and transformative leadership development. She empowers leaders to achieve excellence in today’s complex and uncertain world. She develops transformative online learning programmes, learning journeys and training courses that help leaders develop not only professionally but also personally.
With a background in intercultural management and communication as well as psychology, Mia combines in-depth knowledge with innovative methods to support leaders on their journey to conscious and effective leadership.
