Design Thinking Process Made Simple: Design thinking takes on different models. As established previously, design thinking is a problem-solving framework that uses empathy, creativity, and iterative prototyping. There are several models of design thinking, but one of the most popular and widely used is the Five-Stage Model developed by the Hasso-Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University, commonly known as the d.school (See Figure 6 below). This same model was used in our approach to design the White Paper.

Start with an assumed problem: What challenge is a group of people or business facing? Go through the process: Proceed with the problem through the five stages of design thinking, iteratively. End with a collaborative solution: The proposed outcome must meet five criteria — frugality, desirability, feasibility, viability, and sustainability.

The Design Thinking processes

The Five-Stage Model:

1) Empathise, 2) Define, 3) Ideate, 4) Prototype, and 5) Test —Developed by the Hasso-Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford University. Teams are guided by empathy, optimism, ambiguity, failure and creative confidence in the process

The Double Diamond Model:

1) Discover, 2) Define, 3) Develop, and 4) Deliver — Popularised by the British Design Council. It’s a simple way to describe steps taken in any design and innovation project, irrespective of the methods and tools used.

The Design Thinking Mindset:

These models do not only rely on step-by-step processes but incorporate the mindsets and cultural practices required as a framework of innovation (the outer layers).