Definition: What is Design Thinking?
Design Thinking is an innovation approach that originally stems from the design field and was popularized by the Stanford d.school and IDEO. At its core, it is a structured, iterative process that connects three dimensions: desirability (what do users want?), feasibility (what is technically possible?), and viability (what is business-viable?).
What distinguishes Design Thinking from other innovation methods is its radical user-centricity: instead of making assumptions about customer needs, teams observe real users, develop a deep understanding (empathy), and test solutions early on with prototypes.
Design Thinking is both a mindset (attitude toward innovation) and a method (structured process with concrete tools). In combination with Lean Startup and Agile methods, it forms the methodical foundation of modern innovation.
The 5 Phases of Design Thinking
Phase 1: Empathize
Deep immersion into the world of the user: interviews, observations, customer journey mapping. Goal: to understand real needs, frustrations, and motivations – not what customers say, but what they actually need.
Phase 2: Define
Condensing the gathered insights into a clear problem statement. The “Point of View” statement (POV) or “How Might We” question focuses the team on the central user problem. Example: “How might we help SME managing directors drive innovation projects forward despite day-to-day business?”
Phase 3: Ideate
Broad idea generation without evaluation: brainstorming, brainwriting, analogy transfer, SCAMPER. Quantity over quality – aim for 50+ ideas, then cluster and prioritize. Business model patterns can serve as inspiration.
Phase 4: Prototype
Making the best ideas tangible quickly: paper prototypes, storyboards, click-dummies, role-playing. Motto: “Build to think, not to ship.” A prototype doesn’t have to be perfect – it must make a hypothesis testable.
Phase 5: Test
Testing prototypes with real users, gathering feedback, and learning. Based on the findings, the process iterates: back to prototype, ideation, or even problem definition. The process is deliberately non-linear and cyclical.
Core Principles
- User-centricity: The human is at the center – not technology, not the business case.
- Interdisciplinarity: Diverse teams bring together different perspectives and competencies.
- Iteration: Rapid cycles of build-test-learn instead of long planning phases.
- Visualization: Making ideas visible and tangible – post-its, sketches, prototypes instead of PowerPoint.
- Bias toward Action: Doing instead of just talking – testing early instead of endless discussion.
- Failure as a learning opportunity: Failing fast on a small scale prevents expensive failure in the market.
Areas of Application in Companies
- Product Development: Developing new products and services based on real user understanding.
- Business Model Innovation: Design Thinking + Business Model Canvas for new value propositions and revenue models.
- Customer Experience: Improving customer journeys and optimizing digital touchpoints.
- Process Innovation: Rethinking internal workflows from the employee’s perspective.
- Strategy Development: Addressing strategic challenges with creative methods.
- Cultural Change: Design Thinking as a catalyst for a more open, experimental corporate culture.
Design Thinking for SMEs
Design Thinking is not just a method for corporations with innovation labs. SMEs also benefit enormously:
- Leverage customer proximity: SMEs often have more direct customer contact than large corporations – this is the perfect starting point for the empathy phase.
- Apply pragmatically: Design Thinking doesn’t have to take place as a 5-day workshop. Even a focused half-day workshop with 2-3 phases delivers valuable results.
- Prototype quickly: SMEs can move from idea to test faster than bureaucratic corporations.
- Involve the entire team: In small teams, every employee can become an innovator.
- Combine with Lean Startup: Design Thinking for problem understanding + Lean Startup for market validation = ideal SME methodology.
Design Thinking vs. Other Methods
- Design Thinking vs. Lean Startup: Design Thinking focuses on problem understanding and creative solutions. Lean Startup on market validation and business metrics. Ideal: a combination of both approaches.
- Design Thinking vs. Agile/Scrum: Design Thinking discovers the “what” (finding the right solution). Agile/Scrum optimizes the “how” (efficient implementation). Complementary approaches.
- Design Thinking vs. Blue Ocean Strategy: Blue Ocean works at the market and strategy level. Design Thinking at the user and solution level. They can be used together.
Design Thinking Workshop for Your Team?
We facilitate Design Thinking workshops that uncover real customer needs and produce innovative solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Design Thinking explained simply?
Design Thinking is a method for developing innovative solutions by first empathizing deeply with the problems and needs of users, then creatively developing ideas and testing them quickly as prototypes. The process takes place in 5 phases: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test.
For which problems is Design Thinking suitable?
Design Thinking is particularly suitable for complex, poorly defined problems (so-called “wicked problems”) where user needs are central: new products and services, improved customer experiences, business model innovation, and organizational challenges. It is less suitable for clearly defined technical or analytical tasks.
How long does a Design Thinking process take?
That depends on the complexity. A compact Design Thinking workshop lasts 1-2 days and delivers initial prototypes. A full Design Thinking cycle with user research, several iterations, and a validated concept takes 4-8 weeks. Google’s Design Sprint compresses the core into 5 days.
Can you apply Design Thinking without experience?
The basic principles are easy to understand and immediately applicable: observe users, define problems, gather ideas, build prototypes, and test. For the first application, experienced facilitation is recommended, as they know the methodology and guide the team through uncertainties. After 2-3 guided workshops, teams can often work independently.