Design Thinking

Throughout my entrepreneurship class, we have discussed in great detail design thinking. Design thinking is the process by which a person defines a problem, creates and considered many options, refines and selects the direction for the result, and then finally executes the product. This thinking process is very important when creating a project as an emerging entrepreneur.

The most important of the four stages of design thinking is defining a problem. Once you have defined the correct problem that needs to be solved, things will fall into place. When you are deciding a problem, you should keep asking “why?” and from there you will get the right answer to move on to the next step in the process.

 The next step in the process is creating and considering many options. Even if the option seems so obvious, you need to keep thinking of more options. In this step, collaborating with others and team work will lead to more opportunities for ideas.

 The third step in the process is to take these ideas just made and formulate the direction in which you want to take your product. You will have to develop your ideas even further to maximize all of your options. From there you will finally know the exact product you want.

 This brings us to the fourth step. You finally pick the “winner.” When you have thought through all of your options, asked “why?,” considered all of your options, and pick the direction your want to go, you will choose your final product and execute it to its full potential.

 One of the main things that interested me in design thinking was a quote from Herbert Simon. He explained that critical thinking was associated with the “breaking down of ideas” and design thinking was the creative process in which you “build up ideas.” Through the four step design thinking process, the building up of ideas is perfectly executed.