What is

Design Thinking

Design thinking is an iterative process that aims to understand the user and challenge their assumptions, as well as redefine problems to find alternative solutions and strategies that require a deeper level of understanding. It is a way of thinking and communicating and also a collection of interactive tools. Design thinking requires a vested interest in understanding the people for whom the products or services are being created. It allows for detailed observation and the development of empathy for consumers.

Design thinking refers to five phases that lead to the successful development of a product or service: empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test. However, the five phases are not always sequential and often occur in tandem and repeat iteratively. This is a useful process for addressing poorly-defined issues or re-framing issues in a human-centric way. It also helps the process of questioning problems, assumptions and implications.