July 2023

Best Practice Basics: What is Design Thinking?

Design thinking originated in Germany in the 1920s. According to the definition of its founding agency, IDEO, design thinking is "a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer's toolbox to integrate human needs, technology capabilities, and business success requirements."

In various phases, a prototype is developed and tested step by step under specified framework conditions. In the process, the context, the people, as well as innovation possibilities and different perspectives on the problem to be solved are taken into account. Design Thinking is therefore an iterative learning process that should be undertaken courageously and without shying away from risks. Due to its clearly defined boundaries and focus on the essentials, the method is very well suited to finding tangible and creative solutions. This makes it particularly suitable for developing long-term goals and extraordinary products.

Design thinking combines humanism with technology and economic efficiency. It thus brings together what is desirable from a human perspective with what is technologically feasible and economical.

A design thinking process runs iteratively in six steps:

• Understand context
• People watching
• Focus and define view
• Find ideas
• Develop prototype
• Test prototype

Understanding the context means first understanding the initial situation with the actual problem. On the one hand, there is a problem that needs to be solved from the customer's or the company's point of view. On the other hand, the framework conditions given by the customer or the organization must be known and transparent.

The second phase aims to understand the customer's needs. In doing so, we communicate openly with the customer and capture his goal, needs, and priorities. A particularly exciting question in this context is what possibly improvised solutions the customer is already using to deal with the problem. Observation, active listening and asking the right questions are relevant in this step. This puts the hypotheses from the first phase to the test: Which ones are confirmed, which ones are invalid? People are practically constantly looking for arguments to support their own point of view. It is therefore advisable to set yourself the goal in this phase of identifying precisely those hypotheses that turn out to be false.

Once this step is done, the third phase follows: focusing and defining the view. The goal here is to develop a framework based on the assumptions and observations gathered in the first two phases that opens up space for the solution. We capture a coherent overall picture and bring the previous findings back to the point. In addition, the ideal customer is defined: Who is particularly affected by the observed problem? Here we can work with personas, which help to answer the most important questions about the actual target group. This third step sets the direction for the next three phases.

Only in the subsequent phase four is it a matter of finding ideas. So far, the problem, the assumptions, the target group and a framework have been defined in which we can look for solutions. These solutions are considered in concrete terms in phase four: First, we collect ideas for implementation as a team. Here, quantity counts more than quality. There are no limits to creativity and we do not worry about the concrete implementation.

This step takes place only afterwards. Once a wealth of ideas has been collected, the individual proposals are evaluated. We examine them for feasibility and cost-effectiveness and prioritize them. Finally, we decide on a proposal. It should not be a summation of all possible proposals, but should focus on a few aspects to ensure feasibility and success in the next two phases.

Once an idea has been selected, the development of the prototype begins in phase five. In this step, creativity and craftsmanship are particularly in demand. The materials used and the procedure itself are freely selectable. Whether paper or wood, Lego or role-playing games, the team can give free rein to its creativity. The following also applies: "Done is better than perfect". Not too much time and energy should be spent on this phase, as it is only a prototype and therefore a throwaway product.

Finally, the prototype is presented to a customer in phase six. The point here is to test the idea that has been created. The most important thing in this phase is feedback - it is not a pitch, but about solving the customer's problem in the best possible way. If the prototype is not the solution, that should be accepted and considered part of the learning process.

If the customer asks questions, it is interesting to shed light on their background. Why is he interested in something in particular? Perhaps the entire prototype is not the solution to the problem - but a part of it that should be further developed? Testing closes the circle. From here, we can go back to any phase or directly to implementation.

If necessary, the team can go through each step of the process multiple times. For example, if it turns out that the end users are giving devastating feedback, it may be necessary to work on understanding the problem before starting the next iteration loop.

Design thinking can be used for a wide variety of products. As with all agile methods, the mindset is crucial here: design thinking is a learning process in which the team must be willing to research and learn. In doing so, it follows a clearly defined process that can evolve in many directions and thus becomes part of the discovery journey itself.

Are you curious how you can also apply Design Thinking to your challenges? Then visit one of our trainings!

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Service never stands still

When was the last time you called a company's support line to reset your password? It sounds unimaginable in 2023, but not so long ago, the availability of such a telephone service was still considered a mark of quality. If you forgot your password, you had to call a customer service hotline and have an employee set a new password for you. Here, help was provided quickly and personally - what a service experience! If a company had had the audacity to offer only self-service in those days, customers' anger would probably have been boundless. And today?

Today, the definition of good service has changed. With the advancement of technology and the increasing use of the Internet, customers expect more self-service options. Instead of having to call someone, most people want to be able to solve their problems or concerns on their own. So now it's the other way around: for "small" concerns, hardly anyone has a need to speak to an employee in person.

The introduction of self-service offerings is a direct response to these changing customer expectations. Companies now provide online platforms and apps where customers can reset their passwords, retrieve information, or perform other services on their own. This enables customers to access services anytime, anywhere, without relying on the availability of a customer service representative.

This change has many advantages for customers and companies. Customers have the ability to resolve their issues immediately without having to spend time on hold. They can handle their concerns at their own pace and often get a faster resolution because there are no communication loops between customer service representatives and customers.

For companies, on the other hand, the use of self-service offerings often means increased efficiency and cost savings. As fewer calls are received by the customer service hotline, resources can be saved and focused on other areas. In addition, self-service enables better scalability, as systems are automated and can serve a large number of customers simultaneously.

Of course, self-service is not the grail of all problem solving, and there are still complex or specialized concerns that require direct contact with a customer service representative. But overall, the shift from telephone support to self-service shows that customer service is a child of the times. So those who provide services must be aware that it is always necessary to adapt to the changing needs and expectations of customers. What used to be considered good service may no longer be enough today. Companies need to be flexible and invest in innovative solutions in order to offer their customers the best possible service and keep pace with current technological developments.