Design Thinking Process
On week 2, we learned and experienced Design Thinking process. The five-stage Design Thinking model proposed by Stanford d.school are as follows: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test.
1. Empathize
The first stage of design thinking process is empathize. In this stage, we are trying to understand the users and problems they are struggling with. Since design thinking process is human-based methodology, this stage become so important. To understand users and problem, we observe people, engage and immersed ourselves in exactly same physical environment with users. Depending on time constraints, we gathered substantial amount of information through interview and desk research.
We chose brief observation and interview to get information from partner, since we had time limitation in class. The picture below is what we do in the class.
2. Define
The second stage is Define. On this stage, based on what we empathized define the real problem. We are going to analysis and synthesize information that were gathered from empathize stage and paraphrase using our own term. This will be the problem that we are going to solve. Moreover, to be more specific, there should be always included where, who, how, in what circumstances in problem definition, and we should continuously ask ourselves “how might we?”.
In class, we define our partners problem related with wallet such as behavior of spending money, preference of card, money, and coin etc. What I did was my partner wants to change her wallet, because the one she has now is not comfortable. “How might we help her feel comfortable with her wallet?”
3. Ideate
In this stage, we are asked to suggest as many ideas as possible. The important rule in this stage is that we do not judge one’s opinion, even though it sounds impossible. To think about the ideas, we commonly use techniques such as brainstorming and brainwriting. The next this we have to do is convergent ideas. There are skills like reversed-brainstorming and PMI(plus, minus, interesting). Through this process we can probably find appropriate solution for the problem.
4. Prototype
Next stage is prototype. On this stage, we are going to bring out our selected solutions to reality. Since the purpose of this stage is to get feedback from users and make it better, we produce a number of inexpensive, scaled down versions of the solution prototype.
I made wallet prototype for my partner using paper and strings.
5. Test
This is the final stage of 5 stage-model. We produce solution(product) that we identified in prototype stage. It means that this stage is the last gateway to get selected as problem solving solution.
After the class…
I think Design Thinking Process is very effective and efficient method to solve problems even creative. I like this method not only it is effective and efficient but also it works as collaborative works. We can feel more powerful when we think together.
Design Thinking 