Design thinking is a problem-solving approach or a process. It is a process, strategy and mindset to solve complex problems creatively. Design thinking skill is “thinking outside the box” moreover breaking the conventional approach to find out desirable solutions.
Design thinking is a process to understand the problems, find out the possible solutions, test the identified solutions and implement the solutions using proper channel or mechanism. Understanding the problem is the sole act for exploring the various solutions. We experienced as student that without reading question carefully several students start writing answer later, they come to know that question was something else and they wrote something.
Understanding the problems help us to address the one which need to be tackled. Generally, people tend to find out the solutions based on past experience even if the present problem does not completely similar to previous one. It is essential to comprehend that actual problem can be broader than what we assumed. Being non-judgemental about the past and present problem can be one of the first attribute for a design thinker.
Design thinking is also identified as human- centred design due to much involvement of its user. We need to consult and consider the users’ views. If a school leader is preparing policy to handle a problem for the teachers, s/he needs to develop better understanding of teacher as a whole. We need to understand the teachers’ need? Could we fully understand the need of users? Design thinking process involves understanding of human beings needs at the beginning and considers them throughout development process.
Design thinking process involves brainstorming in developing solutions to the problems. Brainstorming always helps to identify the key points. Brainstorming helps design thinker to generate a number of possibilities and considers their viability before marking the final points. Listing of wonderful ideas can be the 1st stage of designing thinking. Real task begins when we start exploring potential solutions. Effective design thinking requires continuous process of test and trail. Feedback from different stakeholders during testing helps person to design creative and innovative solution for a problem.
Growth mindset essentially requires for design thinking. Understanding the problem is the first crucial act for design thinking, 2nd is testing the solutions. Growth mindset allows designers to try solutions many more times and try to learn what works the best without having failure havoc. Users’ Involvement during trial and testing helps designers to reach at the nerve of the problems through the users’ meaningful feedback i.e., as school leaders we always take feedback of parents, people from society and other stakeholders throughout the year on several crucial and critical issues.
Generally, we use design thinking for designing a product, and expanding business for specific products, however I firmly believe that design thinking is an approach to find out creative solutions to a problem. Design thinking can be applied to any problem at any life situation that requires creative solutions. A family head can use design thinking to solve his family problem, businessman uses it for establishing business, school teacher applies it in the classroom for effective classroom management and school leader uses it to solve various day to day problems of school for establishing school as centre of excellence. Design thinking can be applied at every aspect of learning experience, space, and situation in personal and professional.
Designing thinking involves comprehensive designing, training and restructuring for proper implementation. Design thinking skills demand massive effort before implementation of ideas. Collaborative, Constructive, Curious, Empathetic, Holistic, Non-Judgmental and a Person Having Growth Mindset can be some of the attributes of design thinker.
