Definition:
Design thinking is a human-centred approach to problem solving. It combines research into needs and contexts, definition of the challenge, generation of alternatives, creation of prototypes and learning through testing.
It is not a rigid sequence or a guarantee of innovation. Its activities are adapted to the project and can be repeated when research or testing reveals new information. The aim is to reduce assumptions and develop solutions that are desirable for people, technically feasible and viable for the organisation.
Table of contents
Design thinking principles
The process starts by observing and listening to the people affected by a problem. This orientation does not replace technical or business analysis: it combines usefulness for users with the constraints, capabilities and objectives of the project.
The work is commonly collaborative and alternates between divergent moments, when needs and ideas are explored, and convergent moments of synthesis and selection. Representing a proposal early makes it possible to discuss something concrete and learn before investing in a complete solution.
Iteration is essential. A test result may require the team to redefine the problem, extend the research, discard an idea or build another prototype. Completing the stages once does not demonstrate that the solution is suitable.
Design thinking stages
The five-mode model shared by the Stanford d.school provides an introductory guide. The stages can overlap, change order and be repeated:
- Empathise: Research experiences, behaviour, needs and context through observation, interviews and other forms of contact with the people involved.
- Define: Synthesise evidence, identify patterns and frame a specific challenge without confusing an initial request with the problem that needs to be addressed.
- Ideate: Generate diverse alternatives before selecting those worth exploring. Brainstorming can be used at this stage, but it does not constitute the whole process by itself.
- Prototype: Represent an idea at the level of detail required for learning. A prototype can be a sketch, script, model, service simulation or navigable interface.
- Test: Observe how people interact with the prototype, gather evidence and decide what to retain, change, investigate or discard.
Design thinking techniques
Techniques are selected according to the question, project stage and available resources. There is no mandatory tool for each stage, but the following are common:
- Research: Interviews, contextual observation, shadowing and diary studies help reveal behaviour and situations that do not always emerge from a survey.
- Synthesis: Empathy maps, affinity mapping and need statements organise findings and turn them into a focus for the work. An insight needs to be supported by evidence, rather than merely reflecting a team’s idea.
- Ideation: Brainstorming, SCAMPER, sketching and "How might we…?" questions help produce and reframe alternatives.
- Prototyping: Storyboards, wireframes, models and service representations make a hypothesis visible at different levels of fidelity.
- Evaluation: Usability testing, task walkthroughs, follow-up interviews and pilots help assess a proposal with relevant people and contexts.
Applications in digital projects
Design thinking can be applied to products, services, processes and experiences. In digital work, it is useful when there is uncertainty about the problem, needs or how value should be delivered:
- Products and services: It helps teams investigate problems, explore propositions and test interactions before developing every feature.
- Customer experience: A customer journey can reveal touchpoints and friction that can then be investigated and redesigned.
- Marketing and communication: It supports testing value propositions, messages, content or conversion processes with the people they are intended to reach.
Its application can produce an MVP, but a prototype and a minimum viable product are not equivalent. A prototype is intended to support learning and may not be operational; an MVP is a usable version for testing hypotheses under real conditions.
Criteria for using design thinking
Design thinking is most useful when a team can conduct research with relevant people, frame the problem rigorously and act on what it learns. A biased sample, leading questions or tests without a clear objective can reinforce assumptions instead of correcting them.
User experience is a broader field concerned with the quality of interaction and experience with a product or service. Design thinking can form part of a UX project, but it does not replace its specialist methods. Likewise, a design sprint organises design and testing activities within a limited period, whereas design thinking does not prescribe a particular duration.
It can also be combined with Lean Startup, which focuses on formulating and testing business hypotheses through learning cycles. No framework replaces technical feasibility, strategy, accessibility, ethics, measurement or execution. The value of the process depends on the quality of the research, decisions and subsequent follow-up.