1.WHAT IS DESIGN THINKING ?

It is a process in which we seek to understand the user, challenge the assumptions & redefine
problems to identify strategies and solutions to problem.

It is simply a solution based approach to solve the problem.

The designer need to go to Client shoes & understand the problem, analyze the issue, and
provide solution with backup plans if needed.

1.1 Origin of Design Thinking:

First of all what is Design thinking?

This is a Polish astronomer by the name Nicolas Copernicus, his main contribution as seen in
the European continent was that he proved that the centre of the universe is not Earth as it was
thought at the time in Europe, but is actually the Sun.
But In Design thinking, we do the opposite of what Copernicus did in his entire life, we
are going to put the centre back on us and that is what is sometimes referred to as human
centred design. So where we start is the human, the human is the first place where we start
thinking about how can we help this person,
First the history of design thinking is that it started off as a discipline may be in the 60s, by a
Website ideo.com, they were the ones who made it popular.

For Reference : https://youtu.be/6-NRiom8K9Y

1.2 Design Thinking – Features:

Find
Simplicity

User Appealing
Requirements Product

Client Innovative
Experience Solutions

Following are the benefits conferred by design thinking. These are incidentally
also the distinguishing features of design thinking.
Finding simplicity in complexities.
Having a beautiful and aesthetically appealing product.
Improving clients’ and end user’s quality of experience.
Creating innovative, feasible, and viable solutions to real world problems.
Addressing the actual requirements of the end users.
1.3 Design Thinking – Applications
Design thinking finds its application across a variety of professions. From sports,
education and research to business, management and design, It is widely used by
professionals around the globe.
1. Business
Design thinking helps in business by optimizing the process of product creation,
marketing, and renewal of contracts. All these processes require a companywide
focus on the customer and hence, design thinking helps in these processes
immensely. Design thinking helps the design thinkers to develop deep empathy
for their customers and to create solutions that match their needs exactly. The
solutions are not delivered just for the sake of technology.
2. Information Technology
The IT industry makes a lot of products that require trials and proof of concepts.
It needs to empathize with its users and not simply deploy technologies. IT is not
only about technology or products, but also its processes. The developers,
analysts, consultants, and managers have to brainstorm on possible ideas for
solving the problems of the clients. This is where design thinking helps a lot.
3. Education
In the education sector, the best use of design thinking is done by taking
feedback from students on their requirements, goals and challenges they are
facing in the classroom. By working on their feedback, the instructors can come
up with solutions to address their challenges.
For example, a Instructor from New York, realized that his students would be
more comfortable with bulletin boards lowered. He also found the idea of
creating comfortable semi-private space for working students as it provided them
space to study. As a result, his students became more engaged and felt free to
move.
4. Health Care
The expenditure on healthcare by the government and the cost of healthcare
facilities is growing by the day. Experts worldwide are concerned about how to
bring quality healthcare to people at low cost. A Family Clinic in Venice, California
has come up with innovative solutions to the challenge of opening a low-cost
children’s clinic to serve the low-income families. Problems of finance,
transportation, and language barriers had to be solved. And all this had to be
done at low cost for the poor kids. Fostering good health along with profits was a
challenge, as it does not sound sustainable. Using design thinking, the
inefficiencies in the system and the perennial crises were addressed. This was
followed by mind-blowing innovations to serve the children.
1.4 Design Thinking – Principles
There are four Principles of Design Thinking and they are always inter-related to
each other

Empathy : Empathy means Understanding the Person and the pain, what he/she
is going through and offering them solution after analyzing the issue.
For Example suppose you are in a bus and seated comfortably and suddenly an
elderly lady gets into bus and stands beside you, in all probability you get up and
offer her your seat. By doing so, you are displaying empathy you understand that
it is difficult for the lady to stand.
User Centric : User Centric means thinking in User point of view by empathizing
the user.Lets discuss a story about this.
I think you all know that in October 2001 a new product was launched into the
market. A product that fits into everyone’s pocket and it set to change the way
the people store and play music which is IPOD.This was the most happy news for
the music lovers and this happened because the APPLE Company empathized the
users and understood what they want.When you create a product by keeping
user in mind, It becomes user-centric.
Observation : This Phase is interlinked with Empathizing and User centric ness. If
you observe what the user the going through then you can understand what the
user wants. Lets discuss a story regarding observation
In Bangalore on a rainy day RATAN TATA is travelling on the road, he saw a family
of four were going on a scooter and suddenly fell down thankfully nothing
happened and because of this observation the low budget car “NANO” was born.
Creativity : If you understand the user problem by observing the user and
thinking from user point of view you can provide a solution by using creative
ideas.
Let’s go with an example: In Kenya, South Africa the young Richard Turere was
looking after his family cattle and every day the lions attacks the farm and he
started observing the problem and taught of the solution. He observed that the
lions are afraid of approaching farm when someone carrying flashlights or torch.
So, he built a model by attaching a light to old car battery and charged using solar
panel and this flickering of light made lions to go away from the farm.
For Students Guide Click the Link Below :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QFx6O4R2YqX5YuuRp_T5bLdPjAL8pJMT/view?usp=sharing

1.5 Design Thinking – A 5 Step Process :

Design thinking is a five-step process, where each step focuses on a specific goal.
Each of the steps is independent of the next step but is borne out of the previous
step. Design thinkers are expected not to think of the following steps when
working on one step.
1.Empathize :
This step involves putting oneself into the shoes of the customer or the end-user of our
solution. We need to understand the problems faced by the customer and we, as design
thinkers, need to empathize with the customer. This step is carried out in the form of
requirement gathering, which involves interviews and sometimes, even field visits.

2.Define :
Now, we have learnt the problems of our customers and the context as well. It is time to define
our problem and arrive at a problem statement. This statement will give us the necessary
direction to proceed towards the issue faced by the customer.
As a design thinker, we need to cover all the points and the answers that we got in the
‘empathize’ phase. The first step towards defining a problem is to find who the user is, what is
his/her/their needs and then develop insights from the answers. Think of ‘How might we?’
questions. For example, ‘how might we motivate the employees in DT?’

3.Ideate :
The third component of design thinking process is the most interesting and perhaps, the most
rigorous as well. In this section, called Ideate, a design thinker is supposed to bring to the table
as many ideas as possible. While brainstorming for ideas, it is not checked whether the idea is
possible, feasible, and viable or not. The only task of thinkers is to think of as many ideas as
possible for them.In this process, design thinkers also resort to the use of boards, sticky notes,
sketching, chart papers, mind maps, etc.

4. Prototype :
This step deals with building the ideas and checking for their feasibility to arrive at the final
solution. The step of prototyping is the one in which the end user comes into picture. The end
user is actively involved in this component of design thinking. All the feedback is taken from the
customer, and based on the criticisms, suggestions, and appreciations received, the design
thinkers create a better solution after iterating the process of design thinking’s first three steps,
viz. Empathize, Define, and Ideate.

5. Test :
This phase is also called as 'Execute’. This is the phase where the final solution is tested on a full
scale basis.

Testing will help to understand what actually works and what does not. This step can be the
most rewarding, if the prototypes succeed to give positive results, or can be the most annoying,
if the prototype fails. After testing, the entire process of design thinking may have to be
repeated. If the end user approves the solution, then the process of design thinking stops here.

For Reference : https://youtu.be/-ySx-S5FcCI

THE MARSHMALLOW CHALLENGE :

As a part of Design Thinking Course, there is a group activity which can be done in 30 minutes.
It is a very simple activity which can be done at home also, that reflects the creativity in the
students.Kindly follow the guide through link mentioned below

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57c6b79629687fde090a0fdd/t/58ab5a6046c3c4e069a2842d/14
87624802348/SpaghettiMarshmallow.pdf

I have made the Students perform this activity in the Classroom, where they enjoyed a lot.The following
are some snapshots of the model.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS :
Choose the correct one
1. Why should design thinking human centered?
a) Every method talks about product centricity, so there is a need for human centered

b) Design thinking was after all created by humans,so it be better about humans

c) All disciplines & sciences are human centered so design thinking should be no different

d) We should start with human being,since the product and services benefit humans

2. What are the five steps of design thinking as taught in this course?
a) Empathize, Analyze,Prototype, Solve and Test

b) Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test

c) People, Problems, Ideas, Concept, Solve

3. Design thinking is something you use all the time

a) True

b) False

4. The Test phase does NOT deals with

a) Iterative process with many customers will help you figure out the strength of the concept

b) Get in the shoes of the customers and understand the situation from their perspective

c) Validate the assumptions from previous stages

d) Prototype a concept and check if it stands the test of the market

5. The Principles of Design Thinking are different from each other

a) True

b) False