Design Thinking Principles

66 Questions

What is human-centred design according to the IDEO Field Guide?

The belief that all problems are solvable, and the people facing the problems hold the key to the answers.

What are the three steps of IDEO’s Design Thinking Model?

Inspiration, Ideation, and Implementation

What happens during the Inspiration phase of the design thinking process?

Research activities to gather insights and identify problems or opportunities.

What is the goal of the Ideation phase of the design thinking process?

To generate as many ideas as possible and iterate on them.

When should designers employ a divergent style of thinking?

Initially, in the problem and solution spaces.

What is creative confidence?

The belief that everyone is creative.

What is the purpose of making ideas tangible in the design thinking process?

To reveal opportunities and complexities.

What happens during the convergent thinking phase of the design thinking process?

Synthesising data points to define the problem, and whittling down ideas to refine potential solutions.

What is the main goal of the inspiration phase in the design process?

To gain a deep understanding of the problem and the people you're designing for

What is a design challenge in the context of design thinking and human-centred design?

A problem that can be addressed through design thinking and human-centred design methods

What is the purpose of conducting secondary research in the design process?

To gather existing information and gain a deeper understanding of the context and background of the design challenge

What is the ideal team size for conducting an interview in the design process?

Max 3 team members

What is the purpose of using open-ended questions in an interview?

To gather in-depth insights into the participant's experiences, perspectives, and needs

What is the benefit of conducting group interviews in the design process?

To gather a range of perspectives and ideas

Why is empathy an important principle in design thinking?

To understand people's lives and solve problems from their perspective

What is the role of optimism in the design process?

To believe that every problem is solvable and drive creativity and innovation

What is the importance of iteration in the design process?

To incorporate feedback and evolve the solution

How does prototyping contribute to the design process?

To convey, share, and learn how to improve ideas and fail early to succeed sooner

What is the purpose of visualizing ideas in the design thinking process?

To make ideas tangible and unlock new creative possibilities

What is the goal of combining two seemingly unrelated concepts, brands, or services in the design thinking process?

To generate new ideas and spark creative thinking by forcing unexpected connections

What is the purpose of design principles in the design thinking process?

To provide guiding statements that articulate the key elements of a solution and serve as a roadmap for the design process

What is the purpose of a co-creation session in the design thinking process?

To collaborate with participants to design solutions together and generate ideas through activities such as brainstorms and rapid prototyping

What is the purpose of a gut check in the design thinking process?

To critically assess the ideas generated during ideation and evaluate their feasibility, viability, and desirability

What is the purpose of determining what to prototype in the design thinking process?

To identify the key aspects of a concept that need to be tested and validated

What is the purpose of a storyboard in the design thinking process?

To create a visual sequence of events to describe an experience or interaction over time

What is the purpose of role-playing in the design thinking process?

To quickly prototype and test an idea or experience with users and get feedback

What is the purpose of rapid prototyping in the design thinking process?

To build rough representations of ideas to learn and get feedback

What is the purpose of getting feedback in the design thinking process?

To ensure that the solution meets the needs of the people it's designed for

What is the importance of seeking user feedback during the implementation phase of a design solution?

It ensures that the solution remains user-centric and allows for ongoing improvements and refinements.

What is the purpose of developing a pitch for a design solution?

To communicate the idea clearly and concisely to stakeholders, funders, partners, and users, and to build support for the solution.

Why is it important to regularly revisit and refine a revenue model for a design solution?

To ensure the solution generates lasting resources and remains sustainable in the long term.

What is the purpose of monitoring and evaluating a design solution?

To assess whether the solution is delivering the intended impact and make data-driven improvements.

Why is iteration important in the design process?

It allows for ongoing improvements and refinements to the solution, even as it is being implemented.

What is the benefit of keeping an open mind and being willing to tweak a design solution?

It allows for adjustments to be made to better serve the target audience and improve the solution.

What is the importance of balancing quantitative and qualitative measures in monitoring and evaluation?

It provides a comprehensive understanding of the solution's impact and effectiveness.

Why is it essential to consider the long-term sustainability of a design solution?

To ensure the solution remains viable and effective over time, and continues to meet the needs of its users.

What is the purpose of conducting expert interviews in the Inspiration phase of human-centred design?

To inform and validate design decisions by gathering insights from experts with varied viewpoints.

Why is it important to define your target audience before conducting field research?

To identify and understand the specific group of people you are designing for, including their needs, behaviors, and characteristics.

What is the purpose of using provocative ideas or prompts in conversation starters?

To spark dialogue and uncover deeper insights from the people you're designing for.

Why is it important to include both extreme users and mainstream users in the research process?

To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the full spectrum of user experiences and develop more inclusive and innovative solutions.

What is the benefit of using immersion to observe and experience participants' daily lives?

To gain empathy and develop a deeper understanding of participants' challenges and contexts.

What is the purpose of looking at parallel fields, industries, or contexts in analogous inspiration?

To gain insights and inspiration from comparable issues and challenges that can be adapted and applied to the design challenge at hand.

What is the purpose of using card sort activities in research?

To uncover participants' priorities, values, and thought processes.

What is the benefit of using peers observing peers in research?

To gain an insider perspective on behaviors, social norms, and cultural nuances that may be difficult for researchers to access directly.

What is the purpose of using collage activities in research?

To uncover patterns, themes, and symbolic meanings related to the design challenge.

What is the goal of the Ideation phase in human-centred design?

To generate a wide range of ideas and explore potential solutions based on the insights gathered during the Inspiration phase.

What is the purpose of sharing learnings with your team after gathering information through research?

To allow individual learnings to become group knowledge

How do you capture and organize notes, quotes, and observations from research interviews?

On Post-its, organized by the people interviewed or places visited

What is the purpose of the 'top five' synthesis tool in design thinking?

To help prioritize and communicate ideas

What do you aim to reveal when looking for patterns and themes in research data?

Rich opportunities for design

What is the purpose of crafting insight statements in design thinking?

To express a key learning or discovery from research in a succinct and memorable way

How do you turn insight statements into opportunities for design?

By reframing them as 'How Might We' questions

What is the purpose of exploring hunches and ideas in design thinking?

To lead to valuable learnings and keep the team creatively engaged

What is the purpose of creating frameworks in design thinking?

To help organize information and illuminate key insights

What is the goal of brainstorming in design thinking?

To come up with many ideas

What is the purpose of bundling ideas after brainstorming?

To combine them into robust solutions

What is the primary goal of interpreting feedback and developing frameworks during the iteration phase of the design process?

To identify areas to modify the solution and evolve the idea.

What is the primary focus of the implementation phase of the design process?

Planning, execution, and continuous improvement.

What is the purpose of a live prototype in the design process?

To test the solution in real-world conditions for an extended period.

What is the purpose of creating a roadmap during the implementation phase of the design process?

To plan the implementation of the solution and keep the project on track.

What is the purpose of assessing resources during the implementation phase of the design process?

To determine what resources are needed to implement the solution and identify gaps in current capabilities.

What is the purpose of building partnerships during the implementation phase of the design process?

To identify and secure partnerships critical to successfully implementing the solution.

What is the purpose of a ways to grow framework in the design process?

To categorize solutions based on their level of innovation and target audience.

What is the purpose of staffing a project during the implementation phase of the design process?

To assess the team's skills and identify any specialized skills or expertise needed to bring the concept to life.

What is the purpose of defining success during the implementation phase of the design process?

To establish clear goals and metrics for the solution.

What is the purpose of a pilot in the design process?

To test the solution with a longer-term, small-scale test in market conditions.

Study Notes

Human-Centred Design

Human-centred design is the belief that all problems are solvable, and the people facing the problems hold the key to the answers.
Designers stay grounded in what they learn from people, tinker and test ideas, and iterate to find innovative solutions.

IDEO's Three-Step Design Thinking Model

Inspiration: Understand the needs, desires, and context of the users.
- Involves research activities to gather insights and identify problems or opportunities.
Ideation: Brainstorm a range of creative solutions based on the insights gathered during the Inspiration phase.
- Generate as many ideas as possible and iterate on them.
Implementation: Focus on prototyping, testing, and refining solutions.
- Make ideas tangible and test them in real-world scenarios to evaluate their effectiveness.

Mindsets

Creative Confidence: The belief that everyone is creative.
Make It: Making ideas tangible reveals opportunities and complexities.
Learn from Failure: Failing early allows you to succeed sooner.
Empathy: The capacity to understand people's lives and solve problems from their perspective.
Embrace Ambiguity: Start from a place of not knowing the answer and be open to unexpected solutions.
Optimism: The belief that every problem is solvable drives you to find answers.
Iterate, Iterate, Iterate: An iterative approach incorporates feedback to evolve the solution.

Inspiration Phase

Frame Your Design Challenge: A design challenge is a problem that can be addressed through design thinking and human-centred design methods.
Create a Project Plan: Develop a comprehensive plan that outlines the project's objectives, timeline, budget, resources, and deliverables.
Build a Team: Assemble a diverse, cross-functional team with complementary skills and expertise.
Recruiting Tools: Develop a strategy for recruiting participants that considers factors like demographics, behaviors, and needs.
Secondary Research: Conduct desk research to gather existing information and gain a deeper understanding of the context and background of the design challenge.

Research Methods

Interview: Conduct one-on-one conversations with participants to gather in-depth insights into their experiences, perspectives, and needs.
Group Interview: Facilitate a discussion with a diverse group of participants to gather a range of perspectives and ideas.
Expert Interview: Identify and interview experts in relevant fields to gain specialized knowledge, insights, and opinions.
Define Your Audience: Identify and understand the specific group of people you are designing for, including their needs, behaviors, and characteristics.
Conversation Starters: Use provocative ideas or prompts to spark dialogue and uncover deeper insights from the people you're designing for.
Extremes and Mainstreams: Include both extreme users and mainstream users in the research process to lead to more inclusive and innovative solutions.
Immersion: Spend time in the participants' environment to observe and experience their daily lives, challenges, and contexts firsthand.
Analogous Inspiration: Look at parallel fields, industries, or contexts that share similar characteristics or challenges to the design challenge at hand.

Ideation Phase

Download Your Learnings: Share learnings with your team and capture notes on Post-its.
Share Inspiring Stories: Share the most compelling stories from research with your team.
Top Five: Identify the top five ideas or themes from research and share them with your team.
Find Themes: Look for patterns and themes that emerge across research and start to make sense of them.
Create Insight Statements: Craft insight statements that express a key learning or discovery from research.
How Might We: Turn insight statements into "How Might We" questions to reframe them as opportunities for design.

Implementation Phase

Live Prototyping: Test your solution in real-world conditions for an extended period.
Roadmap: Create a visual timeline that helps plan the implementation of your solution.
Resource Assessment: Determine what resources are needed to implement your solution and identify gaps in your current capabilities.
Build Partnerships: Identify the types of partners you need, such as for funding, expertise, or distribution.### Growing Framework
Categorize solutions on a 2x2 matrix to determine their level of innovation and target audience.
This helps determine if ideas represent minor improvements, significant advancements, or transformative changes.

Staffing and Partnerships

Assess the team and identify specialized skills or expertise needed to bring the concept to life.
Consider technical capabilities, partners, and funders required for successful execution.
Build a team that can take the project from concept to completion.

Funding Strategy

Outline how to secure financial resources needed for implementation.
Explore diverse funding options, including grants, partnerships, or revenue models.
Design the Funding Strategy into the project from the start, considering both short-term needs and long-term sustainability.

Pilot

Test the solution with a longer-term, small-scale test in market conditions.
Unlike a live prototype, a pilot can last several months and fully tests the entire system.
This helps validate the desirability, feasibility, and viability of the concept before scaling up.

Defining Success

Establish clear goals and metrics for the solution.
Identify what success looks like from the perspectives of the organization, stakeholders, and end users.
Determine short-term and long-term milestones that will signify progress and keep the project on track.

Iteration

Iteration continues even as the concept is implemented.
Actively seek user feedback and make ongoing improvements to enhance the solution.
Remain open to tweaking the approach, whether it's modifying the offering itself or exploring new marketing, distribution, or revenue strategies.

Pitch

Communicate the idea to stakeholders, funders, partners, and users.
Craft a compelling narrative that explains the solution clearly and concisely.
Consider tailoring the pitch to different audiences and formats.

Sustainable Revenue

Analyze ongoing costs and explore new revenue streams.
Plan how the offering will generate lasting resources.
Regularly revisit and refine the revenue model.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Assess whether the solution is delivering the intended impact.
Determine the purpose of M&E, identify relevant indicators, and establish a methodology that balances quantitative and qualitative measures.
Regularly track progress to validate the impact and make data-driven improvements.

User Feedback

Frequently engage with users to gather insights on the Pilot, gauge reactions to branding, and uncover opportunities for refinement.
Feedback is key to keeping users at the center even as the solution scales.

This quiz covers the fundamental principles of design thinking, including prototyping, empathy, and embracing ambiguity. Learn how to improve ideas and solve problems from a user-centered perspective.

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