Why design thinking is a valuable step in innovating and solving business problems. Includes some approachable methods and examples for inspiration.

1. DESIGN THINKING
WHY IT MATTERS.
Mary Piontkowski
Director of Insights & Service Design @ gotoresearch
@maryp

2. “If you always do
what you always did,
you will always get
what you always got.”
Albert Einstein

3. gotoresearch utilizes mixed methods of
research from applied ethnography to
evaluative testing.
These methods allow us to study the
underlying needs, attitudes and behaviors of
customers — gaining actionable insights to
inform your product or service strategy.

4. INTRODUCTIONS
• Name & Role
• Company Description
• What Interests You About This Visit?
• Fun Fact

5. Businesses are seeing that applied design thinking
grounded in empathy is key to strategic
innovation and service design.
Out with strategic planning and in with design
thinking.

6. 80% of companies believe they deliver a “superior
experience” to their customers but only 8% of their
customers agree.
Bain & Company
Harvard Management Update

7. Forrester
“Old sources of competitive advantage are
business as usual. Now to be truly competitive
your company must become customer obsessed,
which means you need to have deep knowledge of
and engagement with your customers.”

8. TRENDS
Emergence of the Chief Customer Officer
CEO now responsible for customer experience.
Younger generations of customers now demand
brands that “work” - “Functional Branding”

9. What is design thinking to you?

10. Design Thinking puts your customers at the heart
of your business.
It’s more than an approach, it’s a new philosophy
and a cultural shift, for many.

11. Some Principles.
DESIGN THINKING
• Empathetic
• Problem Finding
• Collaborative & Hands On
• Iterative & Rapid
• Highly Creative

12. EMPATHY
Design thinking starts with
empathy for your audience.
Empathy involves …
• Deep listening
• Perspective taking
• Staying out of judgment
• Recognizing emotion

13. EMPATHY
Deep Listening & Observation

14. THE RIGHT
BALANCE?
TRY: Immersion
What people experience
ASK: Engagement
What people say they do
LOOK: Observations
What people do
Contextual Interviewing
EthnographyParticipatory Design
EMPATHY
Methods Triangulation
Source: Jan Schmiedgen, Design Thinking -Bootcamp http://www.slideshare.net/janschmiedgen/design-thinkingbootcamp

15. TRADITIONAL INSIDE-OUT VALUE CHAIN
What are our
core competencies?
What is our current
business model?
What else could
we offer?
What other channel
could we use?
What customers
would we sell to?
What do we need
to execute that
design?
What business
design would create
defensible profits?
What could
we offer?
What ecosystem
exists to meet
those priorities?
What customers do
we want? What are
their priorities?
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OUTSIDE-IN VALUE CHAIN
Perceived Customer Value = Functional Benefits - Financial Cost
Perceived Customer Value = Emotional Benefit - Hassle Factor
EMPATHY
Outside-In Mentality
Source: Peer Insight (2007), Seizing the While SPace: Innovative Service Concepts in the United States

16. Transforming healthcare for children and their families:
Doug Dietz at TEDxSanJoseCA 2012

19. “Minds are like parachutes; they only function
when they are open.”
- Thomas R. Dewar
Empathy opens our minds.

20. PROBLEM FINDING
Problem Solving
doing the thing right
Problem Finding
doing the right thing
Design Thinking helps you with solving the right, customer-centric problems
Design Thinking
Lean Start-up
Agile
Execute
Source: Design of Thinking J. Schmiedgen

21. ITERATIVE & RAPID
Google Ventures “Design Sprint”
2
3
BUILD
LAUNCH
LEARN
IDEA 1
4

22. ITERATATIVE & RAPID
Sketching & Rapid Prototyping.
Photo Credit: Dept Industrial Design, University of Washington
Photo Credit: http://cdn.free-power-point-templates.com
RAPID SKETCHING & PROTOTYPING
Photo Credit: Dept Industrial Design, University of Washington, http://cdn.free-power-point-templates.com,
Jan Schmiedgen, Design Thinking -Bootcamp http://www.slideshare.net/janschmiedgen/design-thinkingbootcamp

23. COLLABORATIVE & HANDS ON
Multi-disciplinary Teams.

24. CREATIVE SPACES
or ?
Which One Would You Choose?

25. CREATIVITY MODELS

26. HOW DESIGN FEELS
UNCERTAINTY / PATTERNS / INSIGHTS CLARITY / FOCUS
RESEARCH DESIGNCONCEPT PROTOTYPE
Organized Chaos.
Source: “The Process of Design” Squiggle by Damien Newman, Central Office of Design

27. CREATIVITY MODELS
DISCOVER DEFINE DEVELOP DELIVER
insight into the problem the area to focus upon potential solutions solutions that work
RESEARCH INSIGHTS IDEATION PROTOTYPES
DOUBLE DIAMOND DESIGN PROCESS
divergent
convergent
convergentdivergent

28. CREATIVITY MODELS
UNDERSTAND
EMPATHIZE
OBSERVE
POINT
OF VIEW
IDEATE PROTOTYPE TEST
RE-FRAME EXPLORE EXECUTE
Talk to Experts
Research
Experience
Immerse
Observe
Engage
Share
synthesize
Point of View
Brainstorm
Visualize
Prototype
Insight
Big Idea
Sticky Takeaway
PROBLEM SPACE EXPLORATION SOLUTION SPACE EXPLORATION
RE-ENTRY POINT MODEL

29. CREATIVITY MODELS
FEASABILITY VIABILITY
DESIRABILITY
What can be in
terms of
capabilities and
technology?
What can be
financially viable?
What is it people desire?
SOLUTION / INNOVATION
START
USE EMPATHY FOR USERS & STAKEHOLDER
Jan Schmiedgen, Design Thinking -Bootcamp http://www.slideshare.net/janschmiedgen/design-thinkingbootcamp

30. CREATIVITY MODELS
COMPANY CAN COMPANY WILL
COMPANY SHOULD
DANGER ZONE
Area of
competency
development
Area of
position
change
AREA OF INNOVATION
BUSINESS MODEL MANAGEMENT
Van Rosing, M. Rosenberg, Chase G. Rukhshaan, Taylor J. Applying Real-world BRM in an SAP Environment

31. “The future is best found in the opportunities that go
unnoticed in the present.” Peter Drucker

32. CASE STUDIES
WHO’S ALREADY DOING IT?

36. DISRUPTORS
Addressing Latent Needs.

37. OUCH
Amazon Dash Button.

38. Excuse me,
where do
I pay?

39. But I did all
the work?

40. 80% of companies believe they deliver a “superior
experience” to their customers but only 8% of their
customers agree.
Bain & Company
Harvard Management Update

41. EMPATHY BUILDING & RAPID IDEATION
HANDS ON

42. LET’S WARM UP
Building Empathy.
• Pick a partner
• Share a story behind something in your bag

43. EMPATHY
Design thinking starts with
empathy.
Empathy involves …
• Deep listening
• Perspective taking
• Staying out of judgment
• Recognizing emotion

44. Interview & Observation Techniques.
CONTEXTUAL INQUIRY
• Open-ended questions
• The “5 Whys”
• Avoid leading
• Look deep
• Blind spots & latent needs

45. Capturing What You See and Hear.
EMPATHY MAPPING
See Think & Feel
Hear Say & Do
Pain Gain

46. LET’S PRACTICE! Meet Doris.

47. Design thinking starts with empathy.
1. Work with your partner
2. Discuss & write down Doris’ pain
points
3. Brainstorm things that could be done
to solve Doris’ pain points

48. Design thinking starts with empathy.
1. Now rapidly sketch 8 solutions — what
would new products and services look
like?

49. Let’s share!

50. “If I had an hour to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes
thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about
solutions.” Albert Einstein

51. THANK YOU. NOW GO & DO IT.
Mary Piontkowski
mary@gotoresearch.com
@maryp