Innovation through Design Thinking

Between company and consumer, design is everywhere.  It is in the products we seek, the services we need, the experiences provided, and the communications between buyer and seller.  Design thinking is typically used in creation and can be used to uniquely solve a problem or create a future idea.   It is believed that a design approach can be taken when relating people, businesses and technology.  People have desires, which businesses fulfill through their capacities of technology and innovation is how the companies become more efficient in providing people with what they want.  There is a methodology to design thinking.  It includes the phases of inspiration, ideation, and implementation. 

In the inspiration phase, people are instructed to observe or take on another persons' point of view.  Showing empathy for another person many times can allow this inspiration for the creation of a new idea that can help fulfill a specific need.  In ideation, prototyping is discussed as being the fuel to new ideas.  The more rapid a prototype can be constructed the faster the idea can come alive and the better an idea can be innovated into its' final form.  It is not uncommon to cycle through over 100 prototypes before you get the final result.  The last phase of design thinking is implementation.  It involves many areas of interest, such as financing, distribution, and resource allocation, but most importantly, it involves communication.  Many great ideas never make it out of corporation walls.  It is believed that the better that you can sell an idea, the more likely it will come to life.  So storytelling is important in communicating your ideas.  Try to tell the story, whether it is the journey of the customer or it brings people together, sometimes the story is even the end of the project. 

With design thinking, new strategies emerge, new products come alive, new technologies between hardware and software are created, or relationships can be established.  Knowledge Management can provide a framework to innovation through design thinking.  It can help create a culture of inspiration within a company.  It can help people find new roles to play, it can provide collaboration on projects, or it be the source of ideas for the company.  Design thinking is not just about a methodology it is about creating this culture.