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The Design Thinking is a working methodology that has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its user-centered approach and its ability to generate innovative and creative solutions.

Below, we explain the phases of Design Thinking and give you an example of a logistics company that can use it to design a mobile application that allows customers to track their shipments in real time.

What are the phases of Design Thinking?

As every process has its phases and Design Thinking was not going to be less. So here we go:

Phase 1: Empathize

Every company must know and understand the needs, desires, limitations and expectations of the end user.

Therefore, empathy is key to design effective solutions, since it allows identifying the real problems that users face on a daily basis.

This requires field research and interviews with users, observing their behaviors and experiences, and putting yourself in their shoes to understand their perspectives and needs.

In the case of the logistics company, the application development team can use techniques such as observation and interviewing to understand the needs and desires of customers in terms of tracking their shipments.

Phase 2: Problem definition

In this phase, the information obtained in the previous phase is used to establish a clear and specific definition of the problem in order to generate effective ideas in the next phase. The objectives to be achieved with the proposed solution are also defined.

For our example, one of the purposes may be to reduce the time it takes for customers to obtain information about their shipments.

Phase 3: Ideation

The problem has been defined, so it's time to start thinking of solutions. Don't set limits, since the wider the range of ideas, the more creative, innovative and effective the solutions will be.

To achieve this, you can employ different creative thinking techniques, such as brainstorming or mindmapping.

In the case of the logistics company, one of the ideas would be to create a real-time shipment tracking system through a mobile application for customers.

Phase 4: Prototyping

In this stage, a tangible version of the ideas generated in the previous phase is created.

This version is known as a prototype and can be a drawing, a paper model or a software design, which makes it possible to visualize the idea in a more concrete way.

This is done with the intention of getting early feedback from users to know which solutions are the most effective.

In our example, a mockup or simulation of the mobile application could be designed to get customer feedback and make improvements.

Phase 5: Testing

Now is the time to test the prototypes with users in order to validate or reject the proposed solutions, to iterate and improve.

In the case of the logistics company, usability testing of the mobile application can be done with a group of customers to validate the prototype developed in the previous phase.

In fact, the feedback obtained is used to iterate and improve the solutions.

Phase 6: Implementation

Once the solutions have been tested with users and improvements have been made, the final implementation begins.

In this phase, the team executes the solutions designed to solve the problem and improve the user experience.

Here it is key that the team is committed to the implementation and ensures that the objectives established in the definition phase are respected.

In the case of the example, once the improvements have been implemented in the mobile application and we have ensured that the essential functionalities are working well, the application is released to the general public.

You can see that each phase has a specific objective and different techniques are used to achieve it.

We hope this explanation has helped you to better understand how Design Thinking works.

If you have any questions or need help to apply this methodology in your business, do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help you solve any problem you may have using effective technological solutions focused on your customers' needs.

Y tú, ¿utilizas el design thinking en tu empresa?

Have you found yourself on more than one occasion solving problems that arise during the development of products or services and you don't find the right solution or even know where to start looking for it?

If so, don't worry, because design thinking can help you with it.

There is no doubt that in recent years this methodology has become increasingly popular. And this is due to their ability to generate creative and innovative solutions to complex problems.

In this article, we tell you what design thinking is and why it is important for companies and organizations around the world.

What is Design Thinking

Design thinking is a process that helps to extract, learn and apply people-centered techniques to identify problems, reformulate them and generate solutions in a creative and innovative way in our businesses, designs and also in our lives.

Its main objective is to find alternative strategies and solutions that are not instantly obvious with their initial level of understanding.

So in that sense it is considered an approach that delves deeper into problem solving as it seeks to understand users and their challenges.

This is why design thinking is useful for addressing ill-defined or unknown problems, helping you to:

Redefine the problem with a user-centric mindset.
Identify the challenge worth solving.
Developing ideas in brainstorming sessions.
Apply a hands-on approach to prototyping and testing.

One of the first people to write about "Design Thinking" was John E. Arnold, professor of engineering at MIT and Stanford, who in the 1950s sought a science of creativity to advance engineering and business innovation.

Arnold was a pioneer who laid the foundation for how we think about design and innovation today.

Why Design Thinking is important

Design thinking is important because it facilitates innovative and effective problem solving, because by focusing on the user and empathy, it generates solutions that meet their needs and desires.

It also encourages you to think outside the box, dig a little deeper into problem solving, identify setbacks and formulate alternative and innovative solutions.

Therefore, having this type of approach has gained great popularity in recent years in everything related to problem solving.

So why is it relevant?

Well, take a look at some of the reasons for its importance are:

It promotes creativity and innovation by focusing on the generation of different and unconventional ideas. This helps to develop new and innovative solutions to complex problems and situations.

It focuses on the implementation of efficient solutions in the real world, since prototyping and testing can guarantee its effectiveness.

It provides people-centered solutions, since design thinking allows you to create solutions that meet the needs and desires of users, and this makes their experience better.

Its versatility, since it is not limited to the creation of products and services, but can be used in different fields and industries.

Examples of Design Thinking applications

Design Thinking is applied in a wide variety of contexts and areas. Some examples include:

Creation of products and services: For example, if a technology company is considering developing a new mobile application, it can take advantage of this methodology to lay the groundwork for the project.

Business strategy: in this case, design thinking is used to devise solutions to specific problems, such as employee retention or improving customer satisfaction.

Education: a teacher can apply design thinking for the purpose of designing an innovative program that meets the needs of students.

Health: for example, to facilitate a better patient experience.

In conclusion, any company can use this methodology, since it focuses on understanding your users and creating solutions based on their needs and problems.

After all, the success of any business depends largely on who buys and uses the products or services it offers.

Your team must design solutions for customers and users. Because doing so will increase your chances of impacting customer activation, retention and growth.

Tell us, do you already use design thinking in your company?

Tag: Design process

The 6 phases of Design Thinking and why they are important