Design Thinking for Innovation and Sustainability: Embracing ESG and Circular Economy

Design Thinking for Innovation and Sustainability: Embracing ESG and Circular Economy

• 1.
  DT CMR COLLEGE OFENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY · IIC 8.0 UGC AUTONOMOUS · AICTE APPROVED · NAAC A+ · AFFILIATED TO JNTUH Design Thinking for Innovation and Sustainability “Sustainability, ESG, and the Circular Economy” S P E A K E R Dr. T Priyanka Kumari How Organizations Embrace Design Thinking to Innovate and Transform Sustainability Assoc. Prof., CMRCET · Innovation Ambassador Date: 23-07-2026 · Venue: Seminar Hall, ECE Dept, Block-II, CMRCET · In association with Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE)
• 2.
  ABOUT THE SPEAKER Dr.T Priyanka Kumari Associate Professor · CMRCET school Innovation Ambassador workspace_premium PhD, ECE lightbulb IIC 8.0 Lead Dr. T Priyanka Kumari is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering at CMR College of Engineering and Technology, Hyderabad. As a designated Innovation Ambassador under the Institution's Innovation Council (IIC 8.0), she leads initiatives that bridge human-centered design, sustainable engineering, and entrepreneurial thinking across the ECE curriculum. Her research and teaching explore how design thinking frameworks can be applied to develop emotionally resonant, environmentally responsible products and services. This workshop distills her conceptual study on how global organizations — from Apple and Google to Tesla and Airbnb — leverage design thinking to drive innovation and sustainability outcomes. place Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering · CMRCET · Kandlakoya, Medchal Road, Hyderabad — 501 401 Dept. of Electronics & Communication Engineering I N N OVAT I O N A M B A S S A D O R · I I C 8.0 CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 02 / 49
• 3.
  WORKSHOP ROADMAP What wewill cover today A guided tour through the foundations, frameworks, real-world case studies, and sustainability applications of design thinking — designed for engineering students, faculty, and innovation practitioners. 7 CHAPTERS · 1 DAY 01 Foundations Why design thinking, objectives, research approach 02 Frameworks IDEO, Stanford D.School, Google, IBM 03 Five-Phase Process Empathize · Define · Ideate · Prototype · Test 04 Principles & Research Ten Commandments, design vs. market research, competencies 05 Business Value Apple, Tesla, Airbnb, Google case studies 06 Sustainability & ESG Circular economy, ESG integration 07 Implementation Challenges, recommendations, key takeaways foundation hub timeline menu_book trending_up eco flag CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 03 / 49
• 4.
  C M RC E T · C I E W O R KS H O P 01 Foundations of Design Thinking C H A P T E R O N E Why human-centered design matters in a world of digital disruption, environmental pressure, and stakeholder capitalism. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 04 / 49
• 5.
  INTRODUCTION Innovating responsibly inan uncertain world In a world marked by uncertainty, digital disruption, and environmental challenges, organizations are under pressure to innovate responsibly. Stakeholders — customers, employees, regulators, investors — increasingly demand that innovation be ethical, inclusive, and sustainable, not merely profitable. Design Thinking, with its human-centered and iterative approach, offers a compelling framework for businesses to reimagine products, services, and processes. It places empathy, experimentation, and collaboration at the core — turning ambiguity into opportunity and risk into learning. This workshop examines how design thinking can be strategically deployed to drive both innovation and sustainability — the dual mandate of modern engineering and entrepreneurship. double_arrow THE DUAL MANDATE — INNOVATION × SUSTAINABILITY " Great design leads to great products. But the impact of design is notoriously difficult to measure — and even harder to ignore. groups Human-Centered science Iterative eco Sustainable — PARAPHRASED FROM JON KOLKO, HBR 2015 CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 05 / 49
• 6.
  STUDY DESIGN Objectives ofthe Study CHAPTER 01 · §3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 01 Understand the role of sustainable innovation in Design Thinking Examine how empathy-driven design naturally aligns with environmental and social sustainability goals across product lifecycles. 02 Analyze the organizational use of Design Thinking Map how leading firms embed design thinking into strategy, operations, and culture to drive measurable business outcomes. 03 Explore strategic transformation through Design Thinking Investigate how design thinking enables business model reinvention and long-term competitive advantage. RESEARCH APPROACH category TYPE Conceptual Research tune NATURE Qualitative & Applied description ORIENTATION Theoretical / Descriptive public SCOPE Multi-industry case analysis school AUDIENCE Engineering students & faculty event WORKSHOP One-day, IIC 8.0 activity CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 06 / 49
• 7.
  CHAPTER 01 ·ORGANIZATIONAL ADOPTION How organizations embrace design thinking to innovate and transform Design thinking helps organizations manifest the future by producing change and driving new ideas that deliver value-generating solutions to customers. Companies like Apple, IDEO, and Google demonstrate the power of design thinking to radically transform markets and achieve unprecedented business results. This presentation explores how organizations leverage design thinking tools to improve business performance, design new business models, and achieve organic growth and sustainability in today's competitive landscape. CASE STUDIES PREVIEW palette IDEO apple Apple language Google business IBM Workshop session, IDEO-style facilitation CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 07 / 49
• 8.
  INTRODUCTION TO DESIGNTHINKING The IDEO Framework — Three innovation lenses Design thinking begins with the right mindset — an empathy-driven process for problem identification and solution development. IDEO's framework balances three lenses that every viable innovation must satisfy simultaneously. favorite LENS 01 Desirability "What makes sense to people and for people?" Start with human needs, behaviors, and emotions. If users don't want it, nothing else matters. Empathy research, interviews, and observation surface what people truly value. construction LENS 02 Feasibility "What is technically possible within the foreseeable future?" Constraint-check ideas against current and near- future technical capabilities. Prototype early to learn what works in practice, not just in theory. trending_up LENS 03 Viability "What is likely to become part of a sustainable business model?" Ensure the solution can sustain itself financially and operationally. A great idea that can't scale or earn its keep will not survive contact with the market. Source: IDEO (2024). Design Thinking & Design Thinking Process. ideou.com CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 08 / 49
• 9.
  THE I³ MODEL Threeprime steps of design thinking A simplified model that captures the rhythm of design work — from framing the challenge, to generating tangible ideas, to iterating based on real-user feedback. INSPIRATION · IDEATION · ITERATION lightbulb Required mindset: "Freshly Naïve," "Creatively Confident," and "Optimistic." Major strategy consulting organizations are acquiring leading design service firms to prepare for new competitive markets. 01 INSPIRATION Framing the challenge Framing a design challenge and discovering new perspectives on the opportunity. Addressing "Yes, we have a challenge" with "How do we approach it?" "How do we approach it?" 02 IDEATION Generating tangible ideas Generating ideas and making them tangible. Responding to what has been learned and addressing "How would we interpret it and express our ideas?" "How would we interpret & express ideas?" 03 ITERATION Refining with users Continual experimentation based on user feedback, creating prototypes. Addressing "How would we test it with users and refine it?" "How would we test & refine it?" CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 09 / 49
• 10.
  WHY DESIGN THINKING? Theneed for design thinking Three reasons organizations turn to design thinking to reinvent how they perceive value, serve humans, and architect their business models. 3 STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES 01 01 redeem Redefine Value Transform how organizations perceive and deliver value to customers. Design thinking is applicable to a wide array of tasks and is best used to boost innovation in various contexts. Organizations focus on design to generate distinct opportunities for improving technology and developing emotionally resonant products or services. Embracing this perspective creates a workplace where team members want to stay — an environment that quickly responds to change. 02 02 groups Human-Centered Innovation Focus on real human needs rather than just technology or business goals. Solutions start with empathy: deep observation, interviews, and shadowing reveal what users actually do, feel, and need — not what they say they want. By grounding innovation in lived human experience, organizations avoid the costly mistake of building technically impressive products that nobody actually uses or values. 03 03 autorenew Reinvent Business Models Create new approaches to generating revenue and delivering services. Design thinking applied at the business-model layer unlocks circular, subscription, platform, and outcome-based models that incumbents struggle to imagine. This is where design thinking meets sustainability: new models can decouple growth from resource consumption and create value across multiple stakeholder classes simultaneously. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 10 / 49
• 11.
  PRINCIPLES · CHRISTIANMUELLER-ROTERBERG (2018) Ten Commandments of Design Thinking — Part 1 (1–5) Once the design thinking process is initiated, these ten principles should be witnessed. They form the operating etiquette of every high-performing design team. 1—5 OF 10 01 meeting_room Leave designations at the door No hierarchy in design thinking. Titles and seniority are checked at entry — every voice carries equal weight in the room. 02 auto_awesome Encourage wild ideas Let imagination run free. Bold, unconventional suggestions often seed the most innovative solutions after refinement. 03 format_list_numbered Go for quantity More ideas lead to better solutions. Diverge widely before converging — volume is the raw material of quality. 04 merge Build on others' ideas Collaborate and combine thoughts. "Yes, and…" thinking turns individual contributions into collective breakthroughs. 05 sentiment_satisfied Think human-centered Focus on people, not tech or profit. Every decision is filtered through real user needs, contexts, and emotions. menu_book Mueller-Roterberg, C. (2018). Handbook of Design Thinking — Tips & Tools for how to design thinking. PART 1 OF 2 CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 11 / 49
• 12.
  PRINCIPLES · CHRISTIANMUELLER-ROTERBERG (2018) Ten Commandments of Design Thinking — Part 2 (6–10) The second half of the principles focuses on visualization, judgment discipline, learning from failure, focus, and the joy of creative work. 6—10 OF 10 06 visibility Use visual aids Illustrate ideas with models, sketches, or drawings. Making thinking visible accelerates alignment and surfaces hidden assumptions. 07 do_not_disturb Skip unnecessary comments Separate idea generation from judgment. Critique comes later — premature evaluation kills nascent ideas. 08 crisis_alert Embrace failure Fail often to learn deeply. Each failed prototype is data; treat experiments as learning, not loss. 09 center_focus_strong Keep the team focused Stay aligned with the design process. Time-boxed exercises and clear objectives prevent drift and energy loss. 10 celebration Have fun Innovate joyfully and creatively. Play lowers defenses, encourages risk-taking, and unlocks lateral thinking. menu_book Reference: Mueller-Roterberg, C. (2018). Handbook of Design Thinking — Tips & Tools for how to design thinking. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 12 / 49
• 13.
  C M RC E T · C I E W O R KS H O P 02 Frameworks of Design Thinking IDEO STANFORD D.SCHOOL GOOGLE 3 E's IBM ENTERPRISE C H A P T E R T W O Four canonical frameworks — IDEO, Stanford D.School, Google, and IBM — and how global enterprises deploy them. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 13 / 49
• 14.
  STANFORD D.SCHOOL FRAMEWORK· ELI WOOLERY (2015) The five-phase non-linear process Apple applies the non-linear Stanford D.School process to boost creativity and innovation. The five phases are not strictly sequential — teams loop back as they learn. 5 PHASES apple Apple case study: Apple applies this non-linear process to boost creativity and innovation across product development. — Eli Woolery (2015) 01 sentiment_very_satisfied Empathize Observe, interview, and engage users. Suspend assumptions to learn what people truly need and feel. 02 flag Define Synthesize findings into a clear, actionable problem statement framed around a specific user and context. 03 lightbulb Ideate Diverge widely — generate as many ideas as possible. Quantity breeds quality; wild ideas welcome. 04 build Prototype Build to think. Quick, low-fidelity artifacts make abstract ideas tangible and testable. 05 fact_check Test Put prototypes in users' hands. Gather feedback, refine, and iterate — or pivot. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 14 / 49
• 15.
  GOOGLE 3 E'SFRAMEWORK · FREDERIK G. PFERDT (2019) Google's 3 E's — Empathy, Expansion, Experimentation Google approaches design thinking through three core principles. This framework helps teams tap into their collective creative power and develop innovative solutions that scale across billions of users. 3 E's GOOGLE E1 favorite Empathize Empathizing with users' needs, feelings, and motivations. Google designers shadow users, conduct field research, and immerse themselves in real-world contexts to surface latent needs that surveys miss. Understand the human E2 all_inclusive Expand Expansive thinking through brainstorming. Generate volume before converging. Google encourages "10x thinking" — ideas that are not just incremental but order-of-magnitude improvements. Generate volume, then converge E3 science Experiment Experimenting by building prototypes. Test early, test often, test cheaply. Google's "launch and learn" culture treats every product as a perpetual beta — feedback from real usage drives iteration. Prototype, launch, learn CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 15 / 49
• 16.
  IBM ENTERPRISE DESIGNTHINKING · IBM (2018) IBM's three principles for enterprise scale IBM focuses on three key principles that scale design thinking across a 350,000-person enterprise. This approach helps visualize problems and generate solutions from entirely new perspectives. 3 P's IBM P1 diversity_3 Diverse Empowered Teams Different teams create more ideas than homogeneous groups. IBM intentionally composes cross-functional, multi-disciplinary squads that bring varied perspectives to every problem. Cognitive diversity = idea diversity P2 person_pin Focus on End-User Outcomes Success is measured by how solutions fulfill users' needs. IBM redirects every team away from internal metrics and back to user outcomes — what changes for the person using the product? Outcomes, not outputs P3 autorenew Restless Reinvention Treating all aspects as iterations to stay empowered. Nothing is ever "done" — every product, process, and assumption is open to reinvention in the next cycle. Perpetual beta mindset CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 16 / 49
• 17.
  FRAMEWORKS AT AGLANCE Four frameworks, four philosophies A side-by-side comparison of the four canonical design thinking frameworks discussed in this workshop. 4 FRAMEWORKS FRAMEWORK ORIGIN CORE IDEA KEY PRINCIPLES BEST SUITED FOR palette IDEO 2024 IDEO · Palo Alto, 1991 Three innovation lenses Desirability Feasibility Viability Product & service innovation at the sweet spot of human, technical, and business viability school Stanford D.School 2005 Stanford Hasso Plattner Institute · 2005 Non-linear 5-phase process Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test Wicked problems and educational contexts; Apple-style product development language Google 3 E's Pferdt, 2019 Google · Frederik G. Pferdt, 2019 Empathy-led creative culture Empathize Expand Experiment Scale-driven consumer products; rapid iteration and 10x thinking business IBM Enterprise 2018 Field Guide IBM · 2018 Field Guide Enterprise-scale design ops Diverse Teams End-User Outcomes Restless Reinvention Large enterprises seeking to scale design across hundreds of teams tips_and_updates The four frameworks are complementary, not competing — different tools for different scales. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 17 / 49
• 18.
  C I EW O R K S H O P · D E S I G N T H I N K I N G 03 C H A P T E R T H R E E The Five-Phase Process Deep Dive A guided walk through Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test — with tools, techniques, and pitfalls for each phase. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 18 / 49
• 19.
  AT A GLANCE Thefive phases — what each one delivers Each phase produces a distinct artifact and answers a distinct question. Together they form a learning loop that de-risks innovation before the build phase. 01 Empathize KEY QUESTION What do users actually need and feel? OUTPUT User insights, empathy maps, personas 02 Define KEY QUESTION What specific problem should we solve? OUTPUT Point-of-view statement, problem framing 03 Ideate KEY QUESTION What are all the possible solutions? OUTPUT Volume of ideas, prioritized shortlist 04 Prototype KEY QUESTION How can we make the idea tangible? OUTPUT Low-fi to hi-fi prototypes 05 Test KEY QUESTION What works, what fails, what to refine? OUTPUT User feedback, refined concept, next iteration sync Non-linear by design: Teams loop back to earlier phases as new insights emerge. Iteration, not sequence, is the point. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 19 / 49
• 20.
  01 PHASE 01· EMPATHIZE Suspend assumptions, listen deeply Empathy is the foundation of design thinking. Designers observe, interview, and engage users in their real context — suspending preconceived notions to learn what people truly need, feel, and value. The goal is not to validate hypotheses, but to be surprised. KEY TOOLS & METHODS visibility Observation Shadow users in context record_voice_over Interviews Open-ended, semi-structured sentiment_satisfied Empathy Maps What user says/thinks/does/feels person Personas Archetypes of target users event_note Journey Maps End-to-end experience timeline photo_camera Photo Studies Self-reported user diaries warning Pitfall: Don't ask users what they want — they don't know. Observe behavior instead. USER INTERVIEW · FIELD RESEARCH CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 20 / 49
• 21.
  02 PHASE 02· DEFINE Frame the right problem Synthesize insights from empathy research into a clear, actionable problem statement. A well-framed problem is half- solved. THE HMW FRAMEWORK How might we [action verb] [user] [need] [context]? "How might we help first-year engineering students build sustainability habits through peer-led workshops?" person User Specific, named persona flag Need Verb-driven, outcome-focused place Context Bounded situation or moment description POV Statement A point-of-view sentence capturing user + need + insight task_alt Problem Framing A bounded, actionable scope for ideation priority_high Success Criteria What "good" looks like — measurable outcomes CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 21 / 49
• 22.
  03 PHASE 03· IDEATE Diverge widely, converge wisely Ideation is the deliberate generation of a large volume of ideas before any judgment. Designers diverge — using brainstorming, analogies, and constraints-as-fuel — to surface unconventional possibilities, then converge by clustering, voting, and refining into a shortlist of promising concepts worth prototyping. IDEATION TECHNIQUES lightbulb Brainstorming Volume over quality, defer judgment compare_arrows SCAMPER Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put-to-other-use, Eliminate, Reverse theater_comedy Role-Storming Ideate as a specific persona auto_awesome Worst Possible Idea Invert bad ideas to find good ones merge Dot Voting Cluster, then democratically prioritize category Affinity Mapping Group ideas by theme warning Pitfall: Killing ideas too early. Stay in divergence mode until the room is genuinely empty of new suggestions. STICKY-NOTE WALL · DIVERGENCE CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 22 / 49
• 23.
  04 PHASE 04· PROTOTYPE Build to think, not to ship Prototyping is building to think. Quick, low-fidelity artifacts — paper sketches, cardboard mock-ups, role-played services — make abstract ideas tangible and testable. The goal is to surface questions and learn fast, not to polish a final product. FIDELITY LADDER PROTOTYPING PRINCIPLES speed Fast & Cheap Minutes, not weeks rule Coarse, not Polished Rough enough to invite critique science Test ONE Thing Isolate the variable you're learning about warning Pitfall: Over-building. If the prototype took more than a day, you built too much. LOW-FIDELITY PROTOTYPING · DESIGN STUDIO edit_note Sketch Pen & paper, 5 min, anyone can do it auto_stories Storyboard Sequential frames of user journey inventory_2 Mock-up Cardboard, foam, paper interface phone_iphone Interactive Clickable wireframe, Figma/XD CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 23 / 49
• 24.
  05 PHASE 05· TEST Put it in users' hands — then listen Testing closes the loop. Real users interact with prototypes in real contexts; their behavior, feedback, and confusion drive the next round of empathy, definition, or ideation. Testing is not validation — it is continued learning. TESTING METHODS science Usability Test Watch users complete core tasks play_circle A/B Test Compare two variants live beta Beta Launch Release to subset of users feedback Concept Test Show prototype, gather reactions analytics Analytics Review Behavioral data from real usage forum Focus Group Group discussion of concept WHAT TO OBSERVE 01 Where they hesitate Friction points reveal hidden assumptions 02 What they skip Skipped steps signal misalignment with mental models 03 What they invent Workarounds reveal unmet needs 04 What they say vs. do Behavior > self-report sync Loop back: Testing insights return you to Empathize or Define — and the cycle continues. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 24 / 49
• 25.
  C I EW O R K S H O P · D E S I G N T H I N K I N G 04 C H A P T E R F O U R Principles, Research & Competencies The operating etiquette of design teams — and the human competencies that bring those principles to life. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 25 / 49
• 26.
  TWO LENSES ONTHE USER Design research vs. market research Both seek to understand users — but they ask different questions, use different methods, and produce different kinds of insight. High-performing teams use both, in sequence. ASPECT MARKET RESEARCH DESIGN RESEARCH Focus Behavior prediction Analyze behavior to predict reactions to new situations People oriented Understand culture, experience, emotions to deliver motivation Objectives Statistical prediction Forecast market size, demand, willingness-to-pay Empathic understanding Surface latent needs, motivations, emotional drivers Data Collection Surveys & interviews Direct/indirect surveys and structured interviews Semi-structured discussions Partially structured, ethnographic conversations Sampling Statistical representation Large, statistically representative samples Qualitative depth Small qualitative samples, personal particulars sync_alt Use both: Market research validates the size of an opportunity; design research reveals whether the solution resonates. Together they de-risk both the business and the human outcome. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 26 / 49
• 27.
  COMPETENCIES · APARNALAHIRI ET AL. (2020) Four competencies of high-performing design thinkers Beyond tools and frameworks, four human competencies distinguish designers who consistently produce breakthrough work. apple Apple's success with design thinking: Placing customer needs above their own, embracing simplicity with minimalistic approaches, creating products that serve as status symbols, and focusing on flawless functionality with no compromise in product design and packaging. (dmi Design Value Index 2005–2015) science Experimental Willingness to try new approaches and learn from failures. Treats every dead-end as data; runs cheap experiments before committing resources. MINDSET 01 person_pin User-Centeredness Placing users at the heart of all design decisions and understanding their needs deeply. Decisions are filtered through real user context, not internal politics. MINDSET 02 visibility Holistic View Seeing the big picture and understanding how all elements connect. Connects product decisions to system, business, and ecosystem effects. MINDSET 03 self_improvement Mindfulness Being present and aware of all aspects of the design process and user experience. Notices subtle cues, suspends judgment, stays curious. MINDSET 04 DT CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 27 / 49
• 28.
  CASE EXAMPLE ·DESIGN-LED COMPANY Apple — Design thinking as a success mantra Apple's success with design thinking comes from placing customer needs above their own, embracing simplicity with minimalistic approaches, creating products that serve as status symbols, and focusing on flawless functionality with no compromise in product design and packaging. FOUR DESIGN PRINCIPLES AT APPLE favorite Customer First User needs override internal preferences crop_free Radical Simplicity Minimalism as a design philosophy diamond Status Symbol Products that signal identity verified Flawless Function No compromise on quality show_chart dmi Design Value Index 2005–2015: Apple-led design stocks outperformed the S&P 500 by extraordinary margins, demonstrating the long-term shareholder value of design-led strategy. APPLE IPHONE · MINIMALIST INDUSTRIAL DESIGN CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 28 / 49
• 29.
  C I EW O R K S H O P · D E S I G N T H I N K I N G 05 C H A P T E R F I V E Business Value & Real-World Impact Quantifying what design delivers — and how Apple, Tesla, Airbnb, and Google each translate design thinking into market leadership. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 29 / 49
• 30.
  THE BUSINESS CASEFOR DESIGN Design thinking pays — the numbers Design-led organizations like Apple, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, and SAP have outperformed the S&P 500 by an extraordinary 211%. Design thinking acts as an effective tool for sense-making, simplifying processes, and improving customer experiences. 211% OUTPERFORMANCE Design-led organizations (Apple, Pepsi, P&G, SAP) outperformed the S&P 500 by 211% over the dmi Design Value Index period (2005–2015). Source: Designer Fund (2016) · dmi Design Value Index 2x GROWTH MULTIPLIER Companies with top-quartile McKinsey Design Index scores outperformed industry benchmark growth by as much as two to one in revenue and shareholder returns. Source: McKinsey Quarterly, Oct 2018 32% REVENUE GROWTH McKinsey's research shows top-quartile design companies grew revenues 32% faster and total returns to shareholders 56% higher than industry benchmarks over a five-year period. Source: McKinsey "Business Value of Design" (2018) trending_up Strategic value drivers: Increased competition · Changing consumer expectations · Technology advancements · Growing influence of design thinking CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 30 / 49
• 31.
  MATURITY MODEL ·JOHAN M PERSSON (2023) Four stages of design maturity High-performing companies understand the strategic value of design and have developed a design process to drive innovation and customer satisfaction. The journey unfolds across four stages. arrow_upward Growth trajectory: Top design companies show measurable growth vs. industry benchmarks at each successive stage of maturity. 01 Ignorant to Design Design is invisible. Seen as decoration or aesthetics applied at the end of a project. No design process exists. NO DESIGN CULTURE 02 Aesthetic Value Only Design is recognized but only for its aesthetic contribution. Stylistic decisions are made by designers; functional decisions by engineers. Two parallel tracks, no integration. DECORATIVE DESIGN 03 Have a Design Process A formal design process exists. Designers participate throughout the product lifecycle. User research and prototyping are routine. Design is a function. PROCESS-DRIVEN 04 Design as Strategy Design is a strategic innovation tool. The CEO and board understand design thinking. Design shapes business models, not just products. Design is a competitive advantage. STRATEGIC DESIGN CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 31 / 49
• 32.
  STRATEGIC VALUE OFDESIGN · MCKINSEY (2018) Role of design in business & stakeholder value Companies with top-quartile McKinsey Design Index Scores outperformed industry-benchmark growth by as much as two to one. The strategic value of design is increasing due to four converging drivers. FOUR DRIVERS OF STRATEGIC DESIGN VALUE 01 sports_kabaddi Increased Competition Commoditization forces differentiation through design, not just features or price. Design becomes the moat. 02 trending_up Changing Consumer Expectations Customers expect delightful, seamless, personalized experiences across every touchpoint — and switch brands when they don't get them. 03 memory Technology Advancements AI, IoT, and cloud enable products that learn and adapt — design shapes how these capabilities are experienced, not just deployed. 04 psychology Design Thinking Mindset The diffusion of design thinking as an organizational mindset compounds the strategic value of every design investment. STAKEHOLDER VALUE PERSPECTIVE "Focusing on the shareholder value perspective, the strategic value of design is no longer optional — it is the price of admission to the next decade of competition." — Sheppard, Benedict, et al. McKinsey Quarterly (Oct 25, 2018) percent 2x Top-quartile MDI growth advantage show_chart 56% Higher TSR than benchmarks rocket_launch 32% Faster revenue growth savings 1.7x Cost-to-value ratio improvement CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 32 / 49
• 33.
  CASE STUDY 01OF 04 Apple Design thinking as a success mantra Apple places customer needs above its own, embraces radical simplicity, creates products that serve as status symbols, and refuses compromise on functionality, design, or packaging. Every detail is intentional; every interaction is crafted. DESIGN THINKING LEVERS favorite Empathy First User needs drive every decision crop_free Radical Simplicity Remove until nothing more can be removed auto_awesome Premium Aesthetic Form as identity signal inventory Packaging as Ritual Unboxing as part of the product verified Outcome: dmi Design Value Index (2005–2015) — Apple-led design stocks outperformed S&P 500 by 211%. Reference: Thomke & Feinberg, HBS Case 609-066 (2024). APPLE IPHONE · MINIMALIST INDUSTRIAL DESIGN CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 33 / 49
• 34.
  CASE STUDY 02OF 04 AUTOMOTIVE · EV Tesla Design thinking for a sustainable future Tesla re-imagined the automobile from first principles. Starting with the user's desire for performance, sustainability, and a frictionless ownership experience, Tesla redesigned everything from the battery pack to the sales channel to over-the-air software updates. DESIGN THINKING LEVERS electric_car EV-First Architecture Battery as structural foundation cloud_sync Software-Defined Car Continuous OTA updates post-purchase storefront Direct-to-Consumer No dealer markup, transparent pricing solar_power Energy Ecosystem Solar + Powerwall + vehicle integration eco Outcome: Tesla accelerated the global transition to electric mobility, forcing every legacy automaker to pivot — proving that design thinking, applied at the system level, can transform an entire industry. Source: Bootcamp (2022); Mator Design (2023). TESLA MODEL S · SUSTAINABLE AUTOMOTIVE INNOVATION CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 34 / 49
• 35.
  CASE STUDY 03OF 04 HOSPITALITY · MARKETPLACE Airbnb Design thinking as a survival tool In 2009 Airbnb was near collapse. The founders applied design thinking — traveling to NYC to live with hosts, photographing listings themselves, and reimagining the entire host–guest experience. The result: a 2x increase in bookings and the foundation for a $30B+ marketplace. DESIGN THINKING LEVERS photo_camera Professional Photography Hosts' homes shown at their best reviews Two-Sided Reviews Trust through reciprocal accountability handshake Host Empathy Tools and protections for hosts first home Belong Anywhere Emotional brand promise, not just lodging trending_up Outcome: Airbnb transformed from struggling startup to global hospitality platform. Reference: Great Learning Team (2022); Devtechnosys (2023). AIRBNB · DESIGNING TRUST BETWEEN STRANGERS CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 35 / 49
• 36.
  CASE STUDY 04OF 04 TECHNOLOGY · AI Google Empathy, expansion, experimentation at scale Google applies its 3 E's framework — Empathize, Expand, Experiment — across billions of users. From Search to Material Design to Gemini, Google treats every product as a perpetual beta, learning from real usage at unprecedented scale. DESIGN THINKING LEVERS groups People-First Research Field research in real contexts all_inclusive 10x Thinking Order-of-magnitude improvements, not 10% science Launch & Learn Ship early, iterate from real data palette Material Design Systematized design language across products public Outcome: Google's design-led culture sustains innovation across Search, Android, Maps, Workspace, and AI — the 3 E's framework is now taught globally. Reference: Frederik G. Pferdt (2019). GOOGLE · DESIGN-LED INNOVATION CULTURE CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 36 / 49
• 37.
  06 C HA P T E R S I X Sustainability, ESG & the Circular Economy Why the next decade of design thinking must decouple growth from resource consumption — and how ESG frameworks are reshaping innovation. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 37 / 49
• 38.
  THE SUSTAINABILITY MANDATE Whysustainability needs design thinking Sustainability is no longer a CSR add-on — it is a core innovation constraint. Climate change, resource scarcity, and stakeholder capitalism force every product decision to account for environmental and social impact across the full lifecycle. Design thinking, with its empathy-driven, iterative, and human-centered approach, is uniquely positioned to integrate sustainability into the earliest stages of innovation. By reframing "the user" to include future generations and the planet itself, design teams can build solutions that are desirable, viable, and regenerative. The triple bottom line — People, Planet, Profit — is now a design specification, not a reporting afterthought. group People eco Planet paid Profit WHY DESIGN THINKING FITS 01 Empathy extends to stakeholders not in the room Future generations, marginalized communities, ecosystems. 02 Iteration de-risks radical sustainable innovations Before they reach the market. 03 Prototyping surfaces unintended environmental consequences Early, when they are still cheap to fix. 04 Systems thinking reveals leverage points For circular, regenerative solutions. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 38 / 49
• 39.
  ESG · ENVIRONMENTAL· SOCIAL · GOVERNANCE CHAPTER SIX · 02 ESG integration through design thinking The ESG framework gives design teams a structured lens to evaluate the non-financial impact of every design decision. Each pillar translates into specific design thinking practices. E park Environmental Design decisions' impact on the natural world — carbon footprint, resource use, biodiversity, waste, water. DESIGN LEVERS chevron_right Lifecycle assessment (LCA) in concept phase chevron_right Material substitution & dematerialization chevron_right Energy-efficient use-phase design chevron_right End-of-life recyclability & take-back S diversity_3 Social Design decisions' impact on people — labor, communities, health, safety, equity, accessibility. DESIGN LEVERS chevron_right Inclusive design for marginalized users chevron_right Ethical supply-chain transparency chevron_right Community co-design & participatory methods chevron_right Accessibility as a non-negotiable spec G gavel Governance Design decisions' alignment with ethics, transparency, accountability, and stakeholder rights. DESIGN LEVERS chevron_right Ethical AI & data-use principles chevron_right Stakeholder governance in design reviews chevron_right Transparent impact reporting chevron_right Whistleblower-friendly feedback loops CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 39 / 49
• 40.
  CIRCULAR ECONOMY ·ELLEN MACARTHUR FOUNDATION From linear to circular — design's next frontier The linear "take-make-waste" economy is incompatible with a finite planet. The circular economy reframes products as services, materials as nutrients, and waste as a design failure. Design thinking is the engine that makes circularity tangible — turning abstract principles into desirable, viable products and services. THREE CIRCULAR DESIGN PRINCIPLES 01 delete_outline Design Out Waste & Pollution Re-design products and packaging so that waste is never created in the first place — not managed downstream. 02 autorenew Keep Products & Materials in Use Design for durability, repair, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling — in that order. 03 eco Regenerate Natural Systems Design solutions that actively restore ecosystems — returning more than they extract. lightbulb Design thinking angle: Each principle becomes an empathy question, an ideation prompt, and a prototype constraint. CIRCULAR ECONOMY · CLOSED-LOOP SYSTEMS CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 40 / 49
• 41.
  RENEWABLES + DESIGNTHINKING Renewable energy as a design material As renewable energy becomes the default, design teams must rethink products, services, and infrastructure around abundance rather than scarcity. Solar, wind, and storage unlock new product categories — from grid-aware appliances to vehicle-to-grid services — that were impossible in the fossil era. WHERE DESIGN THINKING MEETS RENEWABLES solar_power Grid-Aware Products Devices that shift load to renewable- abundant hours electric_bolt Energy as a Service Outcome-based models replace kWh sales battery_charging_full Storage-Integrated Design Products that buffer intermittent renewables directions_car EV Ecosystem Design Charging, V2G, second-life batteries public System-level opportunity: Design thinking helps teams navigate the complexity of multi- stakeholder energy ecosystems — utilities, regulators, prosumers, and the grid itself. RENEWABLES · SOLAR & WIND AT SCALE CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 41 / 49
• 42.
  07 C HA P T E R S E V E N Implementation, Challenges & Recommendations From theory to practice — the barriers organizations face adopting design thinking, and a roadmap for sustained cultural change. CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 42 / 49
• 43.
  BARRIERS TO ADOPTIONCHAPTER SEVEN · 01 Challenges and gaps in adopting design thinking Even organizations convinced of design thinking's value struggle to embed it. Three structural barriers appear consistently across industries. block 01 Resistance to Change Established organizations have entrenched processes, incentive structures, and power dynamics. Design thinking threatens all three — and incumbents often defend the status quo even when they know it's failing. CULTURAL BARRIER close "We've always done it this way" close Risk-averse middle management close Quarterly-metric pressure psychology_alt 02 Traditional Mindset Barriers Engineering and MBA cultures often prioritize optimization over exploration. Design thinking asks teams to sit with ambiguity, generate without judging, and prototype without polishing — skills that traditional training actively discourages. COGNITIVE BARRIER close Convergent thinking default close Fear of "imperfect" prototypes close Hierarchy in ideation rooms query_stats 03 Difficulty Measuring Impact The impact of design is notoriously hard to attribute to a single intervention. ROI of design thinking lags by quarters or years, and traditional accounting systems struggle to credit design as a value driver. METRIC BARRIER close No standard design KPI close Long feedback loops close Attribution ambiguity CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 43 / 49
• 44.
  WHAT TO DOABOUT IT CHAPTER SEVEN · 02 Recommendations for organizations Three concrete moves leaders can make to embed design thinking and overcome the structural barriers. 01 flag Embed Design Thinking in Strategy Move design thinking out of the design team and into the executive agenda. Make it a stated strategic capability, funded at the C-suite level, with explicit board oversight. Strategy without design thinking is wishful thinking. ACTION CHIPS Board mandate Funded capability Strategy KPI 02 school Train Leadership Leaders must model design thinking before they can mandate it. Executive education, immersive workshops, and hands-on project sponsorship build the cognitive muscle — and the credibility — to lead a design-led transformation. ACTION CHIPS Exec education Project sponsorship Visible practice 03 science Promote a Culture of Experimentation Reward learning, not just delivery. Fund low-stakes experiments, celebrate honest failure, and decouple career progression from project success. Experimentation must be safe, expected, and resourced — not exceptional. ACTION CHIPS Safe-to-fail budgets Learning metrics Failure debriefs CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 44 / 49
• 45.
  A 12-MONTH ADOPTIONROADMAP CHAPTER SEVEN · 03 From kickoff to embedded capability A pragmatic four-quarter sequence for organizations adopting design thinking — designed to balance early wins with long-term cultural change. Q1 FOUNDATION Diagnose & Align Assess current design maturity. Secure executive sponsor. Train first cohort of 20–30 practitioners. Run 2 pilot projects on real business problems. OUTPUT Maturity baseline + 2 pilots Q2 EXPERIMENT Learn by Doing Scale to 6–8 projects across business units. Establish weekly community-of- practice. Bring in external coaches. Begin measuring leading indicators of design impact. OUTPUT 8 live projects + community Q3 EMBED Operationalize Codify design thinking into stage- gate processes. Hire dedicated design ops. Launch internal certification program. Tie exec scorecards to design-led KPIs. OUTPUT Process integration + KPIs Q4 SCALE Sustain & Spread Open design thinking to all employees via self-service toolkits. Partner with universities. Publish case studies externally. Begin next-year strategic planning with design thinking as input. OUTPUT Enterprise capability + external story CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 45 / 49
• 46.
  CONCLUSION · PART1 SYNTHESIS · 10 TAKEAWAYS Key takeaways from the study Ten takeaways that distill the conceptual study into actionable insights for engineering students, faculty, and innovation practitioners. 01 rocket_launch Design Thinking as a Strategic Driver 02 eco Sustainability through Innovation 03 sentiment_satisfied Importance of Empathy and Collaboration 04 route The Five-Phase Design Thinking Process 05 business Application in Business Contexts 06 psychology Cultural Shift and Mindset Change 07 memory Integration with Digital Technologies 08 support Leadership Support is Crucial 09 query_stats Measurement of Impact 10 trending_up Future-Oriented Innovation CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 46 / 49
• 47.
  CONCLUSION · PART2 SYNTHESIS · 10 LEARNINGS Key learnings from the design thinking paper Ten practical learnings — the operating wisdom that emerges when design thinking is practiced at scale, over time. 01 favorite Empathy is Foundational 02 groups Collaboration Breaks Silos 03 format_list_numbered Quantity Breeds Quality 04 school Failure is a Teacher 05 visibility Visualization Enhances Thinking 06 person_pin Human-Centered Trumps Tech-First 07 sync Iteration is Inevitable 08 psychology Mindset Matters 09 tune Scalable, Not One-Size-Fits- All 10 support_agent Leadership Must Enable, Not Control CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 47 / 49
• 48.
  BIBLIOGRAPHY 16 OF30+ SOURCES References A selection of the key sources cited throughout this workshop. The full bibliography includes 30+ references spanning academic journals, industry reports, and practitioner texts. 01 Andrew Pressman (2019) Design Thinking: A Guide To Creative Problem Solving For Everyone Routledge, London & NY. ISBN 9781317202844 09 IBM (2018) The Principles, Enterprise Design Thinking Field Guide ibm.biz/fieldguide-public 02 Aparna Lahiri et al. (2020) Design thinking: From products to projects Procedia Computer Science 181 (2021) 141–148 10 IDEO (2024) Design Thinking & Design Thinking Process ideou.com 03 Bootcamp (2022) Case Study: Tesla — Re-Design Thinking bootcamp.uxdesign.cc 11 Johan M Persson (2023) 5 Examples How Design Adds Shareholder Value cmonde.com 04 Christian Mueller-Roterberg (2018) Handbook of Design Thinking — Tips & Tools Amazon Kindle 12 Jon Kolko (2015) Design Thinking Comes of Age Harvard Business Review, SEP 2015 05 Designer Fund (2016) How to Communicate the ROI of Design designerfund.com 13 KPMG (2018) Design Thinking — The evolution of human-centred design kpmg.com 06 Eli Woolery (2015) Why We Need Design Thinking: Tackle Complex Challenges designbetter.co 14 Linda Naiman (2019) Design Thinking as a Strategy for Innovation The European Business Review 07 Esther Han (2022) What Is Design Thinking & Why Is It Important? Harvard Business School Online 15 Sheppard, Benedict et al. (2018) The Business Value of Design McKinsey Quarterly, Oct 25, 2018 08 Frederik G. Pferdt (2019) Design thinking in 3 steps: How to build a culture of innovation thinkwithgoogle.com 16 Tim Brown (2008) How to Make Design Thinking Part of the Innovation Drill Harvard Business Review, JUN 2008 CMRCET · IIC 8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP 48 / 49
• 49.
  CMRCET · IIC8.0 · CIE WORKSHOP ThankYou Questions, reflections, and ideas welcome. P R E S E N T E R Dr. T Priyanka Kumari Assoc. Prof., CMRCET · Innovation Ambassador, IIC 8.0 Department of ECE, CMRCET · Kandlakoya, Medchal Road, Hyderabad — 501 401 · www.cmrcet.ac.in CENTRE FOR INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (CIE) · ONE DAY WORKSHOP · 23 JULY 2026