From Design Thinking to Design Making - Case Study Example

Design Thinking By Student’s Name Course + Code Class Institution Date Introduction There are various ways in which design thinking has been used in the field of business creativity and improvement to make goods and services more desirable to the consumers or targeted group through finding causes of problems and viewing strategies in a different perception to satisfy targeted needs (Wethinq, 2016). The following are some of the examples of design thinking projects that has been used in real life. One of them is the innovation of solar energy in Rural Africa. The whole world has an approximate of 1.7 billion of people without electricity access (Wethinq, 2016). Mobisol came out with an idea to change this situation in Rural Africa by using design thinking to create a convenient and suitable energy source. In addition, Airbnb was not left behind when they used design thinking to improve and raise up their failing business to success. Airbnb proves to other organization business the need to use design thinking and be patient to provide better products. The another example of design thinking is the meal service for Holstebro in Denmark(Wethinq, 2016). This meal service was created through design thinking methods to improve the quality of life for the old people. The last example is design thinking for social innovation as used in India to solve problems of clean drinking water(Wethinq, 2016). Design Thinking Definition and Concepts Design thinking is a strategy used by business designers to solve complex problems at hand and find desirable solutions for the customers or targeted consumers (Meinel & Leifer, 2015). The designer draws upon imagination, systematic reasoning, logic, intuition, and possibilities to develop and create desired outcomes that benefit the intended clients. The central idea of design thinking does not focus on problems but solution and creation of a desirable future (Meinel & Leifer, 2015). People normally confuse design thinking and design. According to Harold Nelson, design is just an act of bringing something new to existence which is different from the above explanation of design thinking (Meinel & Leifer, 2015). Design thinking offers a framework that is a structure for understanding innovation ways that help in the contribution of organic growth by adding real value to consumers. This cycle involves the observation that helps to come up with unmet needs in a given situation, taking the opportunity and scope of innovation, coming up with new ideas, testing and evaluating outcome (Meinel & Leifer, 2015).Design thinking is guided by eight steps framework process so as to successfully determine the cause of the problem and bring the desired outcome. The first phase is discovery which entails selection of affirmative and strategic topics by gathering the required data, understanding and emphasizing with the unmet needs(Meinel & Leifer, 2015). The second involves reframing opportunity by looking at patterns and insight. This is done by looking into the important question and assumptions plus redefining your scope. The third stage is the stage of incubation where one feed the brain with diverse stimuli through meditation on the idea. (Meinel & Leifer, 2015) The fourth step involves illumination of the idea. This includes the use of experiments, possibilities exploration, envision of desired future, making one's ideas visible and co-creating in diverse teams(Meinel & Leifer, 2015). The fifth step involves the evaluation and refining of ideas. These are done by asking the question what. For example, what is viable, feasible, and desirable about your thoughts? What can be the constraints? The sixth step involves the use of rapid prototype or test through learning from the end user and refine by thinking big and acting small(Meinel & Leifer, 2015). The seventh step involves deliverance of the idea by final testing, approving and launching the project. The last step includes iterate and scaling of the project by evaluating, learning, creating and innovating(Meinel & Leifer, 2015). Examples of Design Thinking as a strategic tool in business leadership I) Reinventing Solar Energy for Rural Africa Being part of the society that is ever connected, many people in the west and north of the global do not realize that there are still,l 1.5 billion people who with severe crucial problems. These people instead of just plugging in an electrical socket, they use kerosene lanterns which only illuminate small light in their homes, run diesel generators for their business or walk miles to charge their phones(This is Design Thinking, 2016). Mobisol was one of the design thinking companies which had a mission that promotes the UN goals of providing reliable energy to Sub-Saharan Africa rural to stimulate both social and economic prosperity in the region(This is Design Thinking, 2016). The company combines the deep consumer knowledge, technology and business model that can be maintained into products which begin to revolutionize energy in African Rural by use of solar panels that were big enough to keep sufficient power enough to satisfy customer’s needs(This is Design Thinking, 2016). Thomas Gottschalk started the adventure with a target that by three years the company would have been succeeded into market leading company(This is Design Thinking, 2016). In the beginning, the organization had only 350 employees spread over three countries years of development and technological perfection, the business model of the organization had its success. In August 2015 alone, the company sold more solar panels than between 2011 to 2015 July altogether(This is Design Thinking, 2016). Currently, the organization is progressing on expanding markets into new countries and scaling. Klara Linder who was one of the students of HPI School of Design Thinking and the business thinking architect was the person who introduced the methodology to the company from the very beginning(This is Design Thinking, 2016). The company had a small technology of the text -message –switch- light bulb which was not enough to create a business idea. The team through the guide o design thinking went to a field research without having the final product in mind(This is Design Thinking, 2016). This mean that the research team was looking for an idea that could have a large market. With the continuous adoption of solar panels in Africa and production cost of solar is lowering, the company sent a representative to Tanzania to check the potential users. The tea observes villagers daily activities acquiring knowledge of their need for electricity(This is Design Thinking, 2016). The company realized the mistakes other competitors who have an assumption that solar energy is only required for lighting only. The designer thinkers of the company discovered that solar power is used highly in other things like phone charging, television, and radio. It was more of gaining information other than lighting only. In addition, the company realized that cost was not a problem but the need. People would have purchased the items whatever the cost since they had several ways of gaining income (This is Design Thinking, 2016). On June 2011, the company designed four principles from their field research which based their subsequent development (This is Design Thinking, 2016). The principles included; the basic needs of the people are TV, radio and not light thus design solar panels with enough energy, the people had no reason to save up money for house rent or banking thus monthly payment are a core requirement. The people respect and keep well their belongings thus the people need to have a feeling they own something and existing of solar panels that were non-functioning hence the principle of maintenance(This is Design Thinking, 2016). Mobisol started with a rental solution before adopting the full ownership. To make this work the company had general principles that they will ensure the customers had a good reason to pay back the total credit(This is Design Thinking, 2016). The principles include feeling of ownership, smart payment enforcement, and proper maintenance. The organization had only two challenges on how to create self-sustaining infrastructure and to rethink the last mile of distribution. All problems were solved which made the business to be highly successful until today(This is Design Thinking, 2016). II) Transforming Airbnb from a Failing Startup to a Successful Business In 2009 the Airbnb Company was at its worst end. The company launched without anyone noticing just like other start-ups (Firstround.com, 2016). At that time, their revenue was tiny at 200 dollars per week which were shared by three co-founders who live in Francisco meaning they had a zero growth(Firstround.com, 2016). In this business type of activity, ventures investors look for companies that show a development in a graph and according to Joe Gebbia, the company chart showed a continuous drop forcing them even to take their pocket money to support the business(Firstround.com, 2016). The team did not know the problem of their failure until one day after a great review they rely on that the quality of their photos was poor. The buyers could not even see what they were buying(Firstround.com, 2016). From that realization, the three founders decided to try a complete non-technical and non-scalable solution the problem. They travel to New York, rent a big resolution camera and later spend with customer listing properties taking high-quality pictures. They did not have background information for their decision(Firstround.com, 2016). After one week of sales, they got a profit of 400 dollars which showed them they were doing something (Firstround.com, 2016). The founders at first thought that for a business to be successful, they had to use scales. But they started selling without scales. Although the new photos had a positive impact, Gebbia saw the need start other business tactics(Firstround.com, 2016). They began going out to the field and talking to the targeted group so as to determine the thinking about client’s development(Firstround.com, 2016). This was their new principle which made them realize another principle of the design thinking is being patient. The team could start on hypothesis, implement the changes, review the results and launch the process again. The founders would make a bet on new designs and set them to the market to see if there is positive return, if positive they could concentrate on the area(Firstround.com, 2016). This structure encourages the customers to take risk measures on behave of the company making the company to open new opportunities. In addition, the company encouraged new employees to provide new features on their first day of the company which leads to real unexpected yields(Firstround.com, 2016). Conclusion Design thinking is a strategy used by business designers to solve complex problems at hand and find desirable solutions for the customers or targeted consumer through drawing upon imagination, systematic reasoning, logic, intuition, and possibilities to develop and create desired outcomes that benefit their customers(Wethinq, 2016). The Mobisol Company by use of their design thinking architect were able to solve the energy problem in Africa Rural through the supply of solar panels which have to make them very successful(Wethinq, 2016). The Airbnb business, through the adoption of design thinking in a new structure the company developed from nothing to something more interesting than expected. The two examples has proven that design thinking is one of the best solution in business development (Wethinq, 2016) Appendix Crucial theoretical reading 1.) 10 Examples of Design Thinking from Wethinq.com- This article provides with critical real life examples on how design thinking has been applied in different fields 2.) The book of Design Thinking by Meinel and Leifer is another crucial reading from the study that provides definition and basic concepts of design thinking References This is Design Thinking!. (2016). Reinventing Solar Energy
 Supply for Rural Africa. [online] Available at: http://thisisdesignthinking.net/2016/05/reinventing-solar-energy-supply-for-rural-africa/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2016]. Balaram, S. (2014). Thinking design. 1st ed. Los Angeles: SAGE. Firstround.com. (2016) http://firstround.com/review/How-design-thinking-transformed-Airbnb-from-failing-startup-to-billion-dollar-business/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2016]. Wethinq.com. (2016).  10 Examples of Design Thinking.Available at: https://www.wethinq.com/en/blog/2014/11/25/examples-design-thinking.html [Accessed 9 Dec. 2016]. Havemose, K. (2016). The Encyclopedia Hands From Design Thinking to Design Making. Swedish Design Research Journal, 9(2), p.58. Lupton, E. (2014). Graphic design thinking. 1st ed. New York: Princeton Architectural Press. Meinel, C., and Leifer, L. (2015). Design thinking. 1st ed. Berlin: Springer. Martin, R. (2014). The design of business. 1st ed. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business Press. Naiman, L. (2016). Design Thinking as a Strategy for Innovation. [online] Creativity at Work. Available at: http://www.creativityatwork.com/design-thinking-strategy-for-innovation/ [Accessed 9 Dec. 2016]. Stickdorn, M., and Schneider, J. (n.d.). THIS IS SERVICE DESIGN THINKING. 1st ed. Read More