Journey Of Design - The Beginning - Part 1

Part 1: The beginning 

“Design is so simple. That’s why it’s so complicated”. - Paul Rand

Design thinking 

There are many interactions of what design thinking means available on the internet. 

According to the Interaction Design Foundation, 

“Design thinking is a non-linear, iterative process 

that term used to understand users, challenge 

assumptions, redefine problems and create innovative

 solutions to pro type and test. It is to tackle 

ill-defined or unknown problems and involves five stages: 

Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test.”

According to Harvard Business School,  

“Design thinking is a mindset and

 approach to problem-solving and 

innovation anchored around 

human-centred design.”

According to McKinsey & Company 

“Design thinking is a systemic, intuitive, 

customer-focused problem-solving

 approach that organization 

can be used to respond rapidly

 changing environments and to

 create maximum impact.”

So in conclusion, Design thinking is a flexible, human-centric problem-solving method, employing a non-linear, iterative process. It emphasizes empathy, challenges assumptions, and addresses ambiguous problems through stages like Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. It is a mindset anchored in human-centred design, offering an intuitive, customer-focused approach for impactful solutions in dynamic environments.

Empathy

“We must design for the way people behave,

not for how we would wish them to behave.”

― Donald A. Norman

Empathy stage as the name suggests requires the designer to empathise and put themselves in the shoes of users and identify a unique problem to solve. These unique problems can also be called wicked problems. 

Wicked problems exhibit unique characteristics, including a lack of definitive formulation, making each problem distinct and non-enumerable. The space of potential solutions is unbounded, requiring exploration beyond initial ideas. Wicked problems often demand a one-shot operation, where execution begins before the complete solution is known, akin to navigating a desert without knowing the destination. There's no clear stopping rule, as real-world problems often involve evaluating better or worse solutions rather than achieving a perfect solution. These challenges underscore the need for creative thinking in addressing complex issues.

Why is the empathy stage important?

“If you want to build a product that’s relevant 

to people, you need to put yourself in their shoes.”

According to the Interaction Design Foundation, empathize is the first stage of the design thinking process. Design teams research to get a personal grasp of their users’ needs. They set aside assumptions to obtain insights into the users’ world by observing and consulting with users. This way, they can understand users’ experiences, motivations and problems.

How to Empathise

1. Leave your assumptions:

Having personal biases is natural, and if one has considered a problem in the first place has a few views about it. But to be able to design with full conviction and a genuine solution, the designer must adopt a beginner's mentality. Where they look at each situation very objectively and make a note of each observation mindfully. In the empathy stage, unlearning is the key.

2. The WHW method:

“What?” Ask yourself this question to get detailed information about the problem, and user experiences. 

“How?” This question is to be asked to the user and understand how they do things and perform tasks. Understanding the user flow.

“Why?” – Using this question you make educated guesses about the users’ emotions and motivations.

3. Photo/ video journal

You record these users while they try to solve an issue you propose to resolve with your design, or you ask users to record their own experiences with approaching a problem. These may capture their pain points more accurately.This will halep you keep a visual record for reference to understand more about the user and to empathise with them.

4. Interviewing:

Various forms of interviews can be conducted. One can conduct a focus group where a topic of discussion is given to a selected group of people and are asked to discuss where the observer plays the role of director too. A face-to-face one-on-one interview where a set of questions are designed for this specific category and the specific person. Telephonic interviews, where the person can create a set of questions and talk to them on a digital medium. The only difference between face-to-face and telephonic interviews is the secondary observations that can be made in face-to-face interviews, such as expressions, body language etc.

5. BodyStorming:

Here in this technique one has to quite literally put oneself in the user’s shoes. You wear equipment (e.g., goggles, gloves, torso attachments) to gain first-hand experience with your users in their environment. This method will give oneself a better and more educated observation and help filter out the key important pieces of information that are useful for the designer.

6. Empathy Map:

Empathy map is a tool used to summarize the information gained from the above methods filter them out and put them in categories of actionable observations.

Here are a few templates of various empathy maps that are generally used.

7. Customer Journey: 

Customer journey maps are visual representations that outline the end-to-end experience a customer has with a product, service, or brand. They depict the various touchpoints and interactions a customer goes through, from initial awareness and consideration to purchase and post-purchase interactions. Customer journey maps help businesses understand and optimize the customer experience by identifying pain points, opportunities for improvement, and areas to enhance customer satisfaction.

8. Persona:

User personas, also known as buyer personas or customer personas, are detailed and semi-fictional representations of idealized, archetypal users for a product, service, or website. These personas are created based on a combination of real user data, market research, and assumptions. They typically include demographic information, behaviours, goals, motivations, pain points, and other relevant details. User personas help teams in product design, marketing, and customer experience to better understand and empathize with their target audience, enabling them to make informed decisions that align with users' needs and preferences.

Onto the next chapter…

As we conclude our exploration of the empathy stage in design thinking, we've delved into the intricacies of understanding users, challenging assumptions, and redefining problems. Yet, the journey is far from over. Imagine this: What if the insights gained during empathy could unlock a treasure trove of possibilities in the research phase? In our next instalment, we embark on a thrilling quest—unveiling the secrets hidden in the realm of research. Get ready to dive deep into the data ocean, as we uncover the keys to innovation. The adventure continues in Part 2: The Research Odyssey. Don't miss the next chapter; it's where the plot thickens, and the story of design thinking unfolds further. Join us on this exhilarating journey!