Design thinking

Aims of the tool

The aim of this tool is to create a guide for Design thinking which will help its users understand the methods and the general concept of the Design Thinking.

Description of the tool

Design thinking is one of the best methods for generating ideas. Design thinking is a non-linear, iterative process that teams use to understand users, challenge assumptions, redefine problems and create innovative solutions to prototype and test. Design thinking can also be applied to any field, and last from ours to days. In this guide you can find a useful prepared presentation for anyone who would like to know Design thinking method.

Design thinking method stages:
Empathize: research your users' needs.
Define: state your users' needs and problems.
Ideate: challenge assumptions and create ideas.
Prototype: start to create solutions.
Test: try your solutions out.

Emphasize:
Participants in groups of 4-5 people, assisted by staff members and group leaders, went to the city centre and made a Survey with local people about unemployment situation and market needs during and after coronavirus pandemic. First half an hour of workshop was dedicated for creating questionnaire and later participants implemented the survey itself. This survey worked as first step of design thinking - empathize, where participants, by interviewing locals found out about their needs and identified market opportunities during that period.

Define:
During this workshop participants moved to the 2nd step of design thinking process. After survey and learning about entrepreneurial competences participants came to define step, where, working in the same groups as during the survey, participants tried to create a point of view that wass based on their potential users (local community) needs and insights. Participants concretized the needs into couple points and presented it to the audience and identified market opportunities which came to them.

Ideate:
This time was for creating and developing business idea! 3rd step of design thinking "ideate" is dedicated for creating ideas and sharing them with others. In this workshop participants brought knowledge and materials from previous day - ("empathize" and "define") steps, and used tips and tricks of a businessman and for idea development.

Prototype:
Participants started creating tangible prototypes for their generated business ideas (which they choose one per group). Participants were provided by various materials and were fostered to reveal their creativity. Prototyping is important and time-consuming process so participants had this workshop for two days.

Test:
At this stage participants tested their ideas by introducing them to other participants, hearing their opinion and collecting feedback (testing). For testing was used World Cafe method.