Duration

DESIGN THINKING FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

2 days

OVERVIEW

Design thinking is a human-centered, iterative problem-solving process of discovery, ideation, and experimentation that employs various design-based techniques to gain insight and yield innovative solutions for virtually any type of organizational or business challenge. The five-phase Design Thinking process is based on the renowned school model that is broadly used and has proven its value. This method combines both analytical and creative approaches to generate solutions. In this two-day action-oriented workshop, participants will work in small teams, guided by our design facilitators to experience a customer-centric approach to problem solving through a re-imagination of the end-to-end customer experience journey. Participants will develop skills such as ethnographers, visual thinkers, strategists and story-tellers through a hybrid of workshop discussions and activities. It covers building empathy through ethnographic research, generating ideas, prototyping and testing new concepts.

The IT engineers today are supposed to understand the problem statement in the exact manner as felt by the client. Otherwise, both the solution and the time invested will fail. Once requirements have been gathered, only then can the developers start thinking of programmatic solutions. The solutions that are developed are sent for the client’s experience. The feedback given by the client helps the designers and developers to iterate the process of software development. Design thinking has been used extensively in IT companies to brainstorm for solutions towards customer’s problems.

The use of design thinking principles has grown so much in the IT industry that nowadays world-renowned companies like Infosys have made it mandatory for its employees across the globe to undergo design thinking courses and get certified as a design thinker. The concept of design thinking is central to the process of developing software solutions, which target the exact needs of the customer and have the flexibility of getting modified in an iteration process based on the feedback given by the client.

BENEFITS

This is an experiential workshop, which emphasizes engagement, interaction and practice. Participants should expect short presentations that introduce content, examples, case studies, video presentations, group activities for skills practice, and group discussions for reflection that deepens their learning. Participants will be given a challenge/project that requires them to work in teams to address one unmet need and present their ideas.

The advantages of using design thinking in IT industry for software development are as follows.

Acquire a deep understanding of the Design Thinking principles, process, and tools
Understand the mindsets of a design thinker
Apply the Design Thinking framework as a structured process to solve problems, generate breakthrough ideas and co-create an improved customer experience journey
Improve personal effectiveness by becoming a more empathetic service provider
Approach problems using structured methods of gathering observations, breaking cognitive fixedness, and generating creative ideas for solutions
Apply creative solutions and behavior-change analysis to innovation development and internal team processes
Develop a strategic innovation toolkit and learn when and how to apply design thinking and innovative problem-solving tools and exercises
Practice empathy in applying a human-centered approach to design techniques, such as user research, user experience, prototyping, and journey mapping
Assess group dynamics and improve team performance through tools and processes designed to enhance collaboration and iteration in development
Guide teams to draw from a wide range of professional experiences and backgrounds and create stronger collaboration dynamics to heighten their approach to innovation
The solutions are prototyped
The results are verified
The best solutions are accepted
The solutions are experienced by the client before approval
Short iterations are possible to improve the user experience
Small cross-functional teams
Incremental delivery is possible
Fast feedback helps the designers and developers
Continuous improvement is possible
discover new requirements
promote technological development
improve projects and processes
build a mindset

Module 1: Key Concepts & Principles of Design Thinking

Design thinking - Is and is not
Traditional thinking versus design thinking
Three lenses of human-centred design: Desirability, Feasibility, and Viability
Benefits of design thinking
Examples of industrial applications of design thinking
Framework of design thinking
How design thinking can improve our innovative ability and personal effectiveness

Module 2: The Mindsets of a Design Thinker, Techniques & Approaches

Mindset of a Design Thinker
The Beginner’s Mind
Other Mindsets
Radical collaboration
Culture of prototyping
Show, don't tell
Bias toward action

Module 3: EMPATHIZE: Understanding the Customer or User & Observing

Problem statement
Design principles
Interview for empathy
Explorative interview
Ask 5x why
Jobs to be done
Extreme users/Lead users
Empathy map
Persona/User profile
Customer journey map
AEIOU
Stakeholder map
Emotional response cards

GOAL

To gain an understanding of the experience, situation, and emotion of the user for whom you are designing through observation, engagement, and immersion techniques
Learn how to apply tools such as personas, empathy map and user feedback

Module 4: DEFINE: Framing the Opportunity

“How might we...” question
Storytelling
Context mapping
Define success
Vision cone
Critical items diagram

GOAL

To process and synthesize the findings in order to form a user story telling that you will address by identifying the user, his/her needs and insights gathered
Learn how to apply tools such as stakeholder map, customer journeys, context map and opportunity map

Module 5: IDEATE: Exploring Ideas & Solutions

Brainstorming
2x2 Matrix
Dot voting
Analogies & benchmarking as inspiration
Blue ocean tool & buyer utility map

GOAL

To focus on idea generation, translate problems into solutions, and explore a wide variety and large quantity of ideas that go beyond the obvious solutions to a problem
Divergent and convergent ideation methods
Learn how to apply ideation techniques

Module 6: PROTOTYPE: Building & Visualizing Ideas & Solutions

Frequently used kinds of prototypes
Exploration map
Prototype to test
Service blueprint
MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

GOAL

To build to think - A simple, cheap and fast way to shape ideas so you can experience and interact with them
Learn how to apply tools such as developing physical prototypes, wireframes, and storyboards

Module 7: TEST: Reviewing & Deciding Solutions

Testing sheet
Feedback capture grid
Powerful questions in experience testing
Solution interview
Structured usability testing
A/B Testing

GOAL

To ask for feedback on your prototypes, to learn about your user, reframe your point of view and refine your prototype
Learn how to apply tools such as user feedback, observation, and evaluation matrix

Module 8: REFLECT: Learning & Improvement

Retrospective “sailboat”
Create a pitch
Lean canvas
Lessons learned
Road map for implementation
Problem to growth & scale innovation funnel

GOAL

To explore and examine ourselves, our perspectives, attributes, experiences and actions / interactions
Helps us gain insight, see how to move forward and develop them more thoughtfully

Programme scope, delivery arrangements and suitability are confirmed during enquiry.