Design Thinking - Book recommendations

If you're still wondering what Design Thinking is, take a look at this short video first.

Overview

You can find all the books clearly arranged here in our table. It is structured according to the Shu Ha Ri principle, so that you can quickly get a feel for what kind of detail is involved and thus quickly know whether this book suits you in terms of your level of knowledge or is something for later.

Design Thinking - quick start

Who is the book for?

Summary

Design Thinking Quick Start (Orsann, I.; Mayer, L.; Wiele, I.) 2018

What for:

• Quick & easy entry with Design Thinking (DT)
  • Try out & implement quickly
• Strong focus: Reflection in individual phases (note areas for writing down own insights for knowledge transfer in the work environment)
• Book is the result of DT workshops conducted in 2016-2018 (industry practice + university context)

Target group:

• Practical working basis (workshop & support for knowledge transfer in the work context), structure & orientation for beginners through concrete instructions
• Guide for experienced users to get to know new perspectives & methods

Structure:

• Introduction Creativity
• Design Challenge + 2 exercises
• Individual phases of the DT process (6 phases of the HPI School of DT)
  • At the beginning of each phase àWarm-ups (support team adjustment to the respective phase)
• Presentation of the concept of iteration & documentation of teamwork
• Additional information on warm-ups
• 2 Agenda examples for the design of a 1 and 2 activity DT workshop

What is creativity actually all about?

• "...the user or customer. These people are ultimately the sun in an innovation process, around whom everything revolves." (S. 18)
• "The agile approach offers more than a toolbox and tangible results: namely principles, philosophy, (free) space for creativity. (...) the flexibility of the physical workspace as well as the team culture, characterized by mutual respect and trust, the must to fail as well as open and constructive feedback, are essential." (S. 18)

Framework conditions for creative thinking

• "good ideas need time to mature. (...) often shorter DT units that are interrupted by a few days break." (S. 19)
• Framework conditions for creative thinking according to John Cleese (comedian) (p. 19):
• "Space (physical & mental)
• Time (limited in preparation / information collection and verification / implementation / further development of solutions through feedback p. 21)
• Time (unlimited in the incubation phase/ idea generation p. 21)
• creative confidence ("...confidence in one's own ability to shape the world." "The reward for willingness... is attention and appreciation." (S. 22)
  • Tip: Joy of experimentation à confidence through small creative tasks, courage to fail, prefer quick & imperfect start (p. 22)
• Humor" àcentral component of spontaneity, facilitates entry, fail humorously & iterate (p. 22)

What is a Design Challenge (DC)? (S. 26-29)

= Team-defined question / initial topic (constant adaptation & refinement)

• People should be able to be interviewed / observed àto create the experience for someone
• Must not contain a solution or restriction
• Formulation of a DC
• Examples
• Checklist for clarification
• Process / procedure: Define initial question / formulate a DC & ask the question

Phase 1: Understanding

• Warm-up (p. 32f.)
  • Semantic map (12 min)
    • To reflect the attitudes, needs and interests of all participants
    • Goal: Identification of existing knowledge & discovery of questions on the topic
  • I truth & i lie (1-2 min)
    • Round of introductions, interests & stories of the participants
    • Lighten the mood
  • Phase (p. 34)
    • 30 min "What do you already know as a team? What don't you know yet?"
      • Methods: mind map, charette (p.36f.), semantic analysis
    • Share your experiences
    • Analyze the challenge (content, stakeholders)
    • Organize and group collected items, name clusters
    • Define fields of interest & prepare field stay

Phase 2: Observe

• Warm-up (p. 40f.)
  • Role reversal (2x 3 min per question): Pair task
    • Aim: Building empathy, preparation for later questioning & observation in field research
  • Blind portrait (approx. 5 min.): Entertain & portray a couple at the same time
    • Aim: Energizing & promoting the ability to let go
  • Phase (p. 42)
    • 15 min Preparation Interview questions
    • 45 min to interview 2-3 potential users àInformation about needs, actions, thoughts, motivations & behaviors
    • Checklist
    • Method: Tips on Qualitative Interviews (p. 44), Tips & Checklist Observation, Point of View (p. 45)

Phase 3: Define point of view

• Warm-up (p. 48f.)
  • How to make toast? (approx. 8-10 min)
    • Objective: Introduction to a convergent mindset (from an open, divergent approach àfocused on (potential) users)
  • Back stories (approx. 15 min) Pair task
    • Goal: Encourage careful listening & drawing conclusions from what you hear à "What's behind what you hear"
  • Phase: Synthesis (p. 50)
    • 20 min sharing the most interesting & inspiring interview moments àOverview (Storytelling, p. 52f.)
    • 10 min Decision a user & their needs for further work
    • 15 min Elaboration Persona
    • 10 min Record need in position definition (p. 53)
    • Method: Picture collages, sketches, photos from interview, context descriptions (p. 54), Job to be done, User stories (p. 55), Empathy map (p. 56), Persona template (p. 57), How might we... template (p. 58)

Phase 4: Generate ideas

• Warm up (p. 62f.)
  • 5 ways to use (11-13 min)
    • Goal: Encourage unusual and wild ideas àThink outside the box, rethink many ideas in a short time & evaluate directly
  • I'm a tree (5-10 min)
    • Goal: Playfully build a good team spirit, support in finding a creative flow, build on the ideas of others
  • Phase
    • Approx. 45 min Brainstorming "How can we..."
    • Result: Select 1-2 ideas for further development
    • Method (p. 66ff.): Go with the flow (collecting & clustering initial ideas), 6-3-5, Building on the ideas of others, 2050, Object brainstorming, Negative brainstorming, Hot potato, Starfish, Six thinking hats, Idea train, Brainwriting, Semantic intuition, Five times why method, Idea profile template
      • Recommendations (p. 67)
        • Try out 3-5 different methods
        • Start brainstorming round with specific questions (e.g. which functionalities are essential for the user?)

Phase 5: Prototype development

• Warm up (p. 74 f.)
  • Paper airplane (5min)
    • Goal: Encourage doing, think with your hands àquick & easy prototyping (together!)
  • 10 Things in a paper bag (guessing: 1 min per participant, silent prototyping: 10 min + 3 min presentation per team)
    • Goal: Fast implementation through silent prototyping instead of conceptual thinking
  • Phase (p. 76ff.)
    • Approx. 45 min Convert idea into one or more prototypes (with checklist + example for prototypes)
    • Methods (p. 79ff.): Sketch, mock-up, wirefame, diagram, paper, storytelling & storywriting, storyboards, video, photo, physical model, role play, service blueprinting pretend to own, business model, bodystorming, MVP
      • Per material, degree of resolution, Suitable for

Phase 6: Testing

• Warm-up (p. 84f.)
  • 1-2-3 Hooray! (partner exercise, 10 min)
    • Objective: To emphasize early and frequent failure - an integral part of the learning process
  • Free fall (team exercise, 15 min)
    • Goal: Thinking about the testing scenario while developing an idea
  • Phase (approx. 20 min) (p. 86)
    • Preparation test scenario
    • Member of another team Perform test
    • Collect feedback
    • Method: Feedback grid for collecting user feedback (p. 88)