The document discusses the design thinking process which includes understanding the problem through research, observing users, defining insights and needs, ideating solutions, prototyping ideas, and testing prototypes with users. It provides details on techniques for each stage such as ethnographic research, needfinding to identify user needs, brainstorming to generate ideas, and developing low-fidelity prototypes to test concepts with users. The target audience is described as "geeks" and it aims to explain how design thinking applies a rigorous process and science to be creative within constraints.

1. Design Thinking for Geeks
Nina Khosla & Doug Tarlow
www.youngandbrilliant.net & www.dougtarlow.com

2. The Design Process
Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
(It’s not that different from what you do, but let’s
figure out what we’re talking about anyways.)

3. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
“Deep dive.”
Understand.
Build Knowledge.

4. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
“Deep dive” is a fancy term for doing research.
(lots of it)

5. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Look with a blank slate.
Look for related and
analogous examples.
Stay as open as possible and
embrace uncertainty.

6. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Watching.
Interviewing.
Learning.
Stalking.

7. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Ethnography.
Developed to
study tribes
like these...

8. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Ethnography.
...and adapted
to study tribes
like these.

9. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
How do I do it?
Observations: It’s not stalking, but it’s close.
The Ethnographic Interview: It’s not about you (or your
product), its about them.

10. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
How do I do it?
Observations: It’s not stalking, but it’s close.
The Ethnographic Interview: It’s not about you (or your
product), its about them.
... In the digital space?
Usability + Observing in User interviews +
tracking tools “public” spaces walkthroughs

11. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Needfinding.
What are needs?
Needs != Solutions
(VERBS) (nouns)

12. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Needfinding.
What are needs?
Various levels of needs:
Common Need for social connection.
Context Need to make new connections.
Activity Need to meet people on Meetup.
Qualifier Need to join the TechNY Meetup.

13. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Develop a point of view.
Articulate insights.
Define the problem.

14. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Design is a convergent and divergent process.

15. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Design is a convergent and divergent process.

16. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Design is a convergent and divergent process.

17. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Design is a convergent and divergent process.

18. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Two popular ways to create a point of view:
(User) needs (verb phrase) in a way that (way).
How might we (verb phrase)?

19. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Two popular ways to create a point of view:
Daniel, who uses clothes as an art form, needs
to explore the Zappos site in a way that makes
online shopping a creative experience.

20. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Two popular ways to create a point of view:
Daniel, who uses clothes as an art form, needs
to explore the Zappos site in a way that makes
online shopping a creative experience.
How might we create exciting exercise
experiences for those who don’t normally
exercise?

21. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Two popular ways to create a point of view:
Daniel, who uses clothes as an art form, needs
to explore the Zappos site in a way that makes
online shopping a creative experience.
How might we create exciting exercise
experiences for those who don’t normally
exercise?

22. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Brainstorming.
Mindmaps.
Post it notes.

23. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Brainstorming
(the quintessential design thinking activity).
1. Provide focus.
2. Defer Judgement.
3. Build on the ideas of others.
4. Encourage wild ideas.
5. Visualize it.
6. One conversation at a time.
7. Go for quantity not quality.

24. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Build.
Visualize.
Test.

25. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
Prototypes can be
simplified if built
to test one thing
at a time.
Form prototypes for the original Apple
mouse sitting in the Ideo offices.

26. Understand Observe Define Ideate Prototype Test
A prototype is an
artifact to have a
conversation
around.
Prototype for a piece of surgical equipment built by an
Ideo designer in the middle of user interviews with a
surgeon.

27. Why is this cool?
(in the mind of a geek)
Balancing concept and prototype.
Go beyond the local maxima.

28. Why is this cool?
(in the mind of a geek)
Subjectivity? No, there’s a science to design.
Data-driven: quantitative and qualitative.

29. Why is this cool?
(in the mind of a geek)
A process developed by creativity researchers.
Be more creative with more restrictions.

30. What does this mean?
(for geeks)

31. What does this mean?
(for geeks)

32. Questions?
(from geeks)
http://bit.ly/sekkrit