Stuck on a problem nobody can quite pin down? What is design thinking? It is a human-centered method that tackles the problem in five stages: empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test.
To see where this method sits in the wider field, read the guide to what is innovation.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Stages in the model | Five stages |
| Model originated at | Stanford’s Hasso-Plattner Institute of Design (d.school) |
| Early text on the idea | “Creative Engineering” by John E. Arnold, 1959 |
| Later formalizing text | “The Sciences of the Artificial” by Herbert Simon, 1969 |
| Shape of the process | Not linear: each stage can inform the others |
These figures come from Asana’s design thinking guide and Adobe XD’s July 2021 guide. Descriptions of the method can change, so check the sources before you rely on them.
What design thinking is and where it came from
Adobe XD describes design thinking as a methodology that attempts to solve complex problems in a creative and user-centric way. Asana puts it more plainly: it is a way to solve problems that puts people at the center. It works especially well for problems that are not clearly defined.
Asana traces the idea to John E. Arnold, a Stanford professor who wrote about it in “Creative Engineering” (1959). Nobel laureate Herbert Simon later formalized the process in “The Sciences of the Artificial” (1969). Stanford’s Hasso-Plattner Institute of Design, known as the d.school, then pioneered the methodology (Asana).
Adobe XD lists three core features of the approach:
- Focus on end-users: every key design decision is judged by the user’s needs and wants.
- Solid problem framing: instead of accepting the problem as given, designers look for its root cause.
- Tangible solutions: ideas are shown through sketches and prototypes rather than presentations and slide decks.
The five stages at a glance
The five-stage model was originally posited by the Hasso-Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford, according to Adobe XD. Asana adds that this model has been adopted by companies such as Google, Apple, Toyota and Nike.
- Empathize: understand the problem of the user you are designing for.
- Define: form a problem statement.
- Ideate: generate creative solutions to that problem.
- Prototype: build a tangible representation of a solution.
- Test: validate the solution with your target audience.
Each stage answers a different question, and skipping one usually means a team solves the wrong problem or builds something nobody tried first.
Empathize and define: understand before you solve
The process starts with empathy. Adobe XD says designers immerse themselves in the context of the problem and observe real users, or people who represent the target audience. Asana adds that you need to let go of your own assumptions and biases and see the problem through the user’s eyes.
Common ways to build that understanding:
- User interviews: ask people to tell a story about the last time they experienced the problem.
- Contextual inquiry: spend time in your users’ physical environment to see how they interact with an existing product.
- Empathy map: summarize what the user says, thinks, does and feels.
Adobe XD also stresses emotion: it says emotions play a tremendous role in how we think about products, so collect both positive and negative reactions.
In the define stage you analyze what you learned and turn it into a problem statement. Adobe XD suggests user journey analysis to spot pain points, and rephrasing questions as “how might we” followed by a particular pain point to push the team to think about the problem space.
Framing matters. Adobe XD warns against a statement such as “We need to increase the percentage of teenage readers by 30%” and recommends the user’s view instead: teenagers need affordable access to educational literature in order to learn more about the world (Adobe XD).
Ideate, prototype and test: from ideas to evidence
Ideation is where you move from understanding problems to exploring solutions. Adobe XD advises you not to judge ideas at this point, because the more ideas you generate, the better. Techniques from the two guides include:
- Worst Possible Idea: the team purposefully seeks the worst solutions, which can stimulate free thinking.
- Sketching: if you can draw boxes and arrows, you can communicate an idea.
- Brainwrite: everyone writes ideas on paper or sticky notes, then puts them up on the whiteboard.
Next comes the prototype. Adobe XD says you usually start with low-fidelity prototypes that convey the basic idea and move towards high-fidelity as you get more user feedback. Paper prototypes help you validate a design hypothesis quickly with minimal effort.
Finally, you test. Asana recommends trying prototypes with a diverse group, including internal designers, people from other teams and target users, and taking notes on how testers use the prototype.
Is design thinking a straight line?
No. Asana is direct that design thinking is not a linear process: each stage can and should inform the others. User testing, for example, may reveal new problems that did not surface earlier.
Asana also notes that testing and prototyping repeat, and some projects keep evolving without a clear end. Your team decides when users’ needs are met well enough to settle on a final product.
The method is not limited to designers or to screens. Adobe XD recommends inviting colleagues from various disciplines because different perspectives lead to better solutions. It also calls the method universal, working equally well for physical and digital design.
A simple way to try it on your own problem
You do not need a workshop to borrow the logic. A small team can run a rough version of the cycle with the techniques above:
- Interview a few people who have faced the problem and ask about the last time it happened.
- Write a problem statement from the user’s point of view. Asana’s tip is to frame it as a need of a specific individual.
- Gather colleagues from different roles and generate ideas without judging them.
- Sketch or build a rough paper prototype of the most promising idea.
- Test it with real users, note what works, then go back to any earlier step the feedback points to.
Design thinking is one lens among several. You can compare it with other approaches by reading about what is disruptive innovation and what is open innovation.
Frequently asked questions
Is design thinking only for designers?
Show answer
No. Adobe XD recommends inviting colleagues from various disciplines because they can produce a wider range of ideas.
Does design thinking work for physical products?
Show answer
Yes. Adobe XD calls it a universal methodology that works equally well for physical and digital design, whether you are making an app or a chair.
Do you have to follow the stages in order?
Show answer
Not strictly. Asana says the process is not linear and that each stage can inform the others, so teams often loop back after testing.
Who created the five-stage model?
Show answer
Adobe XD says the model was originally posited by the Hasso-Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford (d.school). Asana traces the wider idea back to John E. Arnold’s 1959 book “Creative Engineering”.
