Using design thinking to deliver for-purpose innovation.
Design thinking can play a critical role in addressing the needs of for-purpose organisations. With this in mind, for-purpose CEOs must seek to understand what design thinking is, how it applies to their organisation, and how they can successfully use design thinkers and leverage their skills when collaborating with other stakeholders or when developing your organisation's plans for impact and future growth.
What is design thinking?
Design thinking is a process for creative problem solving that begins with understanding the people affected by a problem, identifying the real problems they face, and generating ideas to solve those problems. It is a process of integrating the needs of various stakeholders and generating ideas that address these needs. Design thinkers are problem solvers. They use their minds to work with others to generate innovative solutions for real-world challenges.
A good design thinker will ask questions like:
“How can we make this better?”
“What could be improved about this product or service?”
They are always looking for ways to improve on what they have created so far. Design thinkers are people who see the bigger picture when it comes to creativity because they take into consideration all aspects of a project, from how it looks visually, to its impact on society. They think about how a product will fit into the world, and if it solves an actual problem that people have.
Why use design thinking?
Design thinking can help for-purpose organisations work on more creative solutions that will break through ingrained ideologies or ideologies that are currently holding back the delivery of impact and future growth. The process of design thinking can also help you to better understand your stakeholders, their needs, and how they want to be involved in the innovation process.
For-purpose organisations need to start thinking about how they can use design thinkers within their organisation to create solutions for the social or environmental issues they are facing. Design thinking can help you to challenge assumptions, think outside the box, and come up with new and innovative solutions that address the real needs of your stakeholders.
As a for-purpose organisation, you need to be open to change and willing to experiment with new ideas. Design thinking can help you do this by providing a framework for creative problem solving that is focused on the people you are trying to help. It is important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to design thinking – it should be tailored to the specific needs of your organisation and the people you are trying to help.
There are a few key things that CEOs can do to support design thinking within their organisation:
Encourage creativity by establishing work cultures that support it.
Invest in resources and training for staff so they can learn how to use design thinking effectively.
Encourage collaboration between different departments and across different stakeholders.
Be open to new ideas and ways of doing things.
Take risks and experiment with new approaches.
Be willing to invest in long-term projects that may not have an immediate return on investment.
Communicate the importance of design thinking to the organisation and its stakeholders.
Celebrate success and learn from failures.
Continuously seek feedback and input from different stakeholders.
Encourage and support ongoing learning.
Design thinking can help for-purpose organisations achieve their goals by providing them with a process for generating innovative solutions to real-world challenges. CEOs must be willing to invest in training and resources for staff, create an environment that supports creativity, and encourage collaboration between different stakeholders. By doing so, they can set their organisation up for success.
The double diamond design thinking approach.
Double Diamond is the name of a design process model developed by the British Design Council in 2005. It is a design process that has four phases: Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver.
Let's look at each phase:
Discover: In this phase, the problem is explored and understood from multiple perspectives. This allows for a deeper understanding of the problem and the development of empathy for those affected by it.
Define: In this phase, the problem is defined clearly and concisely. This helps to focus the team on finding a solution that meets the needs of those affected by the problem.
Develop: In this phase, multiple potential solutions are generated and explored. This helps to ensure that the final solution is fit for purpose.
Deliver: In this phase, the chosen solution is delivered to those who will benefit from it. This helps to ensure that the solution has a positive impact on the lives of those it is intended to help.
The double diamond design thinking process. Adapted from: British Design Council 2005
The double diamond design thinking approach is a useful tool for for-purpose organisations because it helps them to systematically explore and understand the problems they are trying to solve. Additionally, it helps to ensure that the solutions they develop are fit for purpose and have a positive impact on the lives of those they are intended to help.
When applying the double diamond design thinking approach to for-purpose innovation, it is important to keep the following in mind:
The needs of those affected by the problem should be at the heart of the process.
All stakeholders should be involved in the process.
The process should be iterative, with solutions being constantly refined and improved.
The process should be flexible, as the needs of those affected by the problem may change over time.
The final solution should be tested before it is implemented.
Design thinking can play a critical role in addressing the needs of for-purpose organisations. With this in mind, CEOs must seek to understand what design thinking is, how it applies to their organisation, and how they can successfully use design thinkers or leverage them when collaborating with other stakeholders or when developing their organisation's plans for impact and future growth.
Design thinking can help for-purpose organisations achieve their goals by providing them with a process for generating innovative solutions to real-world challenges. CEOs must be willing to invest in training and resources for staff, create an environment that supports creativity, and encourage collaboration between different stakeholders. By doing so, they can set their organisation up for success.
At insight & foresight we have trained in the design thinking process and employ it in several ways to create projects and deliver outcomes. Our team would be more than happy to share more about how we use design thinking in our work. Please reach out if you are interested in learning more and working with us!
