Slides from Ashlee Riordan's class on "Design thinking as a creative problem solving process" What is design thinking? Why has design become such a big thing lately? In this class, you will learn about the fundamental process behind design - creative problem solving. This class won’t be fluffy and I won’t give you useless advice like “you need to use the other side of the brain”. We will pull apart the design process together and learn how to recognize it and apply it. Designers and non-designers alike will walk away with new, tangible techniques to tackle big and small problems. Of course, these things are always a great chance to meet awesome people and have fun! For more information visit: www.peeracademy.org

2. Me
Researcher
Business Designer
Service Designer
Learning Designer
@studiothick

3. Slides available
after!

4. Designers are
everywhere.

5. UX Design CX Design
Service
Design
Graphic
Design
Org Design
Business
Design
Research
Design
Fashion
Design
Furniture
Design
Industrial
Design
Product
Design
Urban
Design
Architectural
Design
Game
Design
Web
Design
Packaging
Design
Curriculum
Design
Communi-
cations
Design
Brand
Design
Interaction
Design
Policy
Design
Chemical
Design
Automobile
Design
Aeronautical
Design
Civil Design
Landscape
Design
Engineering
Design
Interior
Design

6. What are the
differences between
types of design?

7. Tools

8. Tools
Methods

9. Tools
Methods
Skills

10. Tools
Methods
Skills
Knowledge

11. Tools
Methods
Skills
Knowledge
Materials

12. Tools
Methods
Skills
Knowledge
Materials
Type of problems

13. What do all types
of design have in
common?

14. What defines the
practice of
Design?

15. Making or creating stuff…

16. Making or creating stuff…
…that is new or unique

17. Making or creating stuff…
…that is new or unique
…and appropriate - it helps solve a problem
or achieve some purpose

18. Discussion in groups

19. What do you make
professionally that is:
- Different each time and
solves some sort of
problem?

20. Discussion

21. What do you design?

22. 4 components of
design as creative
problem solving

23. Purpose
The largest
relevant vision,
goal or ideal
state

24. Ideal Actual
Problem
Constant comparisonPurpose
To have a health y
and beautiful
garden

25. we are called upon to act
when we realise there is
a discrepancy…
…between the world as it
exists and the world as
we want it to be.

26. To have a health y
and beautiful
garden
Ideal Actual
Why is there a gap?
Constant comparisonPurpose

27. To have a town
hall that will
impress the
community
Ideal Actual
Why is there a gap?
Constant comparisonPurpose

28. Ideal Actual
Why is there a gap?
Constant comparisonPurpose
To deliver
delightful service
to customers

29. Ideal Actual
Why is there a gap?
Constant comparisonPurpose
To make money +$2M -$500K

30. Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
The largest
relevant vision,
goal or ideal
state
The discrepancy
between ideal
and actual

31. Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
The largest
relevant vision,
goal or ideal
state
The discrepancy
between ideal
and actual
…and our
explanation or
diagnosis of
why!

32. ProcessPurpose Problem
(Opportunity)
The largest
relevant vision,
goal or ideal
state
The discrepancy
between ideal
and actual
The process you
go through to
create a solution
…and our
explanation or
diagnosis of
why!

33. Process Solution
(Product)
Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
The thing created
to solve the
problem or
capitalise on the
opportunity
The largest
relevant vision,
goal or ideal
state
The discrepancy
between ideal
and actual
The process you
go through to
create a solution
…and our
explanation or
diagnosis of
why!

34. Process Solution
(Product)
Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
Moving closer to
our ideal state

35. Uncertainty

36. Process Solution
(Product)
Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
Is there a gap?
What is the real
cause of the
gap?
What if there is
more than one
cause?

37. To identify and understand
problems and opportunities
by performing appropriate research
The job of a designer:

38. Process Solution
(Product)
Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
What is ideal?
Do we need to
act?

39. To be agents of change by asking
others to reflect on the distance
between “real” and “ideal”.
The job of a designer:

40. Process Solution
(Product)
Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
There are so
many possible
solutions!
Which one (s)
will work?

41. The job of a designer:
To figure out which solution
will best address the problem
by prototyping and testing

42. Process Solution
(Product)
Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
What is the best
path?

43. Process Solution
(Product)
Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
X

44. Process Solution
(Product)
Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
Becomes
standardised
Rarely questioned
Often invisible

45. To tailor-make every design
process to be visible,
communicable and appropriate to
the challenge at hand.
The job of a designer:

46. Exploring different
design processes

47. What sort of design problem
might your process be
appropriate for?
What is being emphasised in each
model? What is the modeller
trying to communicate?

48. high risk/ high cost
= testing &
iteration focus

49. high risk/ high cost
= testing &
validation focus

50. complex problem space
= research focus

51. highly technical product
= develop / build focus

52. Evolving, dynamic problem
= evaluation, monitoring &
improvement focus

53. First learn to do design…
Then learn to tailor your
design process.

54. Who can share a gap
between “ideal” and
“real”?

55. Process Solution
(Product)
Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
What might you
design to
successfully close
the gap?
What is “ideal”
to you?
How does reality
currently not
match your idea
of “ideal”?
What steps
would you go
through to
create your
solution?

56. Share

57. Pulling apart a case
study!

58. Process Solution
(Product)
Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
What might you
design to
successfully close
the gap?
What is “ideal”
to you?
How does reality
currently not
match your idea
of “ideal”?
What steps
would you go
through to
create your
solution?

59. Share

60. Take aways!

61. Process Solution
(Product)
Purpose Problem
(Opportunity)
What might you
design to
successfully close
the gap?
What is “ideal”
to you?
How does reality
currently not
match your idea
of “ideal”?
What steps
would you go
through to
create your
solution?

62. • Define ideal, learn about reality
• Define the gap(s) between what is
ideal and real
• Seek to understand why the gap
exists

63. • Tailor your design process to suit
the problem or challenge at hand
• Make sure you can visualise and
communicate your process

64. • Test your solutions to find the best
one, and to figure out if it will
actually solve the problem… before
you spend time and $$ on a lost
cause

65. Design is not a
discipline. It is
a practice.

66. You can’t master
design through
study.

67. Me
Researcher
Business Designer
Service Designer
Learning Designer
@studiothick

68. Me
@ashleeriordan
Publications on Medium