Today’s blog post is about “design thinking!” What is design thinking you may wonder as there are so many new terms in our business jargon every day and why does this matter to me?

“Design thinking” is an innovative mindset that is very used for analytics organizations and business practices. It is a problem-solving approach that considers human needs, intuition, and business constraints.

How is this different from the normal problem-solving I use every day?

We have been programmed to have an analytical mindset, to gather and process data to solve a problem, but that’s not enough anymore. Focusing solely on analytics can be very limiting, especially towards our clients or your business. Instead of looking at data from the past, design thinking is about creating the future and generating growth that doesn’t currently exist in the present.

This mindset starts with empathy and a deep understanding of those you are designing for (our clients!). Knowing your customer as real people with real issues instead of sales targets or project goals will help you develop an understanding of their emotional and rational needs.

Once you have this mindset, you will understand that analytics isn’t just finding that “one best answer” but experimentation towards a better one!

Liedtka, J., & Ogilvie, T. (2011). Designing for Growth : A Design Thinking Tool Kit for Managers. New York: Columbia University Press.