This document introduces design thinking as a philosophy and set of tools to help solve problems creatively from a human-centered perspective. It explains the design thinking process as having 5 steps: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. Empathizing involves understanding problems from the user's perspective without judgment through observation and interaction. Defining involves analyzing insights to develop a precise problem statement focused on user needs. Ideating is about generating many ideas through brainstorming and mind mapping. Prototyping creates a preliminary version of an idea for user testing. The process iterates by taking feedback to improve and retest solutions. An example of redesigning a sleep bag for preterm babies is provided.

1. Dr.S.Silas Sargunam
Hub Coordinator
AURCT-IEDP Hub
Anna University Regional Campus Tirunelveli

2. DESIGN THINKING
 Philosophy and set of tools to help solve problems
creatively
 Difference Focus on Human centered approach
 Empathizing with the user
 Customer/User perceptive
 Design with the focus of human perspective

3. DESIGN THINKING PROCESS
 Empathize
 Define
 Ideate
 Prototype
 Test

4. Design Thinking
P r o b l e m S p a c e S o l u t i o n S p a c e
Design
Challenge
Design
Solution

5. Empathy
• Viewing from the other person’s point of view
• Putting yourself into the shoes of the other person
• Intellectual identification with the emotions
thoughts, attitude and expectations of another
person
• Mirroring the other person’s feeling expectation,
expression etc

6. Empathy would lead to
• Understanding the problem from the other
person’s perspective
• The person who is facing the problem may have
different dimensions
• There may be more than one kind of stake holders

7. • Without Judgment
• With a beginners’ eyes
• With curiosity
• With a child like enthusiasm
• Interact /Survey
• Observe What they do and how they behave

8. • Intense Preparation
• Immersion
• Questions to be asked
• Points to be observed
• Interaction
• Focus on the problem
• No solution related talk
• Thorough understanding of the problem

9. • Survey – May not open up
• Observation – Behaviour may camaflouge
motives
• Asking leading questions
• Pain points
• May not open up easily
• Gaining confidence
• Multiple sitting may be needed
• Sometimes multiple stakeholders

10. Example
 Designing a wallet for your friend
 What you carry
 Why you carry
 Listen and Take notes
 Reasons-Logics and emotions

11. Define
 A problem well defined is half solved
 The objective is to get a clear cut understanding of the
problem.
 Precise understanding of the specific problem
 After empathizing, there may be general
understanding and broader perspective
 Lots of information
 Variety of insights into the problem

12. Define
 Accumulate
 Assort
 Analyze
 Synthesize
 This will give deeper and specific insight into the
problem
 Focus on needs not on solutions

13. Define
Problem Statements
 Who are the users?
 Who are the other stakeholders?
 What are their needs (common and individual)?
 What are their problems?
 What are the challenges they face?

14. Define
 Define  A child trying to reach the top of a book
shelf with chair
 Nouns all solutions ladder, Book location info
 Verbs  Needs to reach the top rung
 Focus on needs not on solutions
 This will give better insights and better drive for
solution

15.  Focus on Individuals (Extreme Users)
 User: Teenager
 Need: Healthy Food
 Insight: necessary for physical growth and mental
development
 Specified Extreme User: College first year students
 Deep needs: Acceptance
Define

16. Example
 Pre term babies in rural places
 Lack of incubator facilities
 Affordability and Accessibility

17. Example
 Users
 Desperate parents in remote villages without access in
the hospital
 Need
 Device to save the dying babies

18. Ideate
 Generating Ideas
 “The best way to get a good idea is to get a lot of ideas”
 Brainstorming
 Mind Mapping

19. Brainstorming - Points
 Encourage wild ideas
 Defer Judgement
 Go for volume
 One conversation at a time
 Build on the idea of others
 Stay focused on the topic
 Note down or Record

20. Mindmapping
 Use a central image
 One main topic on each branch
 Sub topics on sub branches
 One colour for each branch
 Involve everyone

21. Prototype
 A basic or preliminary version of a product
 Could be improved later
 Purpose is to expose to the users
 Physical reality of the concept
 Scope for improvement

22. Prototype
 Drawings in a Paper
 Paper prototype
 Working model
 Minimum viable product

23. Testing
 Only with users
 Performance compared with Expectations
 Improve and recreate
 Taken back to Ideation

24. Example
 Sleep bag for Pre-term babies
 Redesigned after testing.
 Expectations of Mothers, Doctors and Care takers.
 Hot water was replaced with Wax pouches
 Temperature readings changed to faces
 Indication added (Ready/ Not ready)
 Doctors – Needed visibility for monitoring

25. Example
 Hot water was replaced with Wax pouches
 Temperature readings changed to faces
 Indication added (Ready/ Not ready)
 Doctors – Needed visibility for monitoring

26. THANK YOU