Buzz phrase and business jargon drive us all crazy. Am I right? They just have a way of getting under our skin. Corporate Synergy… Digital Disruption… Deep Dive… Core Competency… Mission Critical…Matrix Structure… “At the end of the day” they are enough to make you want to “push back” and never “circle back” to any of them ever again. I get it. I don’t like them either. But not all buzz phrases are created equal. While on the surface many seem jargon-y, trite, and better left unused, there are those that actually have substance and meaning.
One such phrase that you may have recently heard bandied about is Design Thinking. If you are still skeptical about its substance and stature, consider this. The invention of the computer mouse is a direct result of the Design Thinking process. Now that I have your attention…
What is Design Thinking?
Design Thinking emerged in the early 1960s. The process identifies and investigates both known and ambiguous aspects of a current situation in an effort to discover parameters and alternative solution sets which may lead to one or more satisfactory goals. Because design thinking is iterative, intermediate “solutions” are potential starting points of alternative paths, allowing for redefinition of the initial problem, in a process of co-evolution of problem and solution.* Got it? Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered. Please keep reading.
Practical Applications
The process has practical applications across a wide variety of organizations and businesses across industry verticals as a practical method to arrive at solutions for complex problems.
In today’s increasing complex times, radical innovation and collaborative skills — both essential elements of Design Thinking — are crucial to businesses and organizations of all sizes in order to find solutions to many pressing problems.
A Special Design Thinking Event
Imaginuity will be facilitating a Design Thinking session with co-presenter and panelists from Toyota, Southwest Airlines, 7-11, and Sabre. The session will be moderated by Imaginuity CEO, Corbett Guest, and will take place at The Plano Chamber of Commerce on September 26th. There will be a Happy Hour at 5:30 pm, followed by the session starting at 6:00 pm.
The members of the distinguished panel will take attendees through the origins of Design Thinking, and how their own companies, as well as other organizations—regardless of their size or available resources—are leveraging the practice of Design Thinking for quicker and more thoughtful outcomes. Key takeaways from the session include:
- Methods for cultivation empathy
- Methods for understanding and framing problems
- Techniques to improve ideation and prototyping
- Understanding how to apply human-centered design principles to tackle complex problems
- Ways to generate multiple solutions quickly
- Ideas for how Design Thinking can positively affect your organization
I hope I have piqued your interest. I look forward to seeing you on the 26th. For more information or to register for the event, click here.
* Dorst, Kees; Cross, Nigel (2001). “Creativity in the design process: Co-evolution of problem-solution”.