Design thinking has been the buzzword in the tech industry for quite some time now. Every company wants to be design-driven, every product manager wants to be a design thinker, and every designer wants to be a design thinking guru. But, is design thinking really the silver bullet that everyone makes it out to be?
The Origins of Design Thinking
Design thinking originated in the 1960s and 1970s, primarily through the work of designers like Herbert Simon and Peter Rowe. It was initially intended as a problem-solving approach for designers, emphasizing empathy, creativity, and experimentation.
The Hype Around Design Thinking
Fast-forward to the present day, and design thinking has become a ubiquitous term in the tech industry. Companies like IDEO, Google, and Amazon have popularized design thinking, and it’s now seen as a key differentiator for businesses. The hype around design thinking has led to:
Design thinking workshops and conferences popping up everywhere
Companies hiring design thinking consultants and coaches
Design thinking being taught in universities and online courses
The Problem with Design Thinking
So, what’s the problem with design thinking? Here are a few issues:
Lack of clear definition: Design thinking means different things to different people. It’s often used as a buzzword, without a clear understanding of what it entails.
Overemphasis on empathy: While empathy is important, design thinking often prioritizes it over other essential aspects of product development, like technical feasibility and business viability.
Ignoring existing knowledge: Design thinking encourages teams to start from scratch, ignoring existing research, data, and expertise. This can lead to reinventing the wheel and wasting resources.
Focusing on symptoms, not problems: Design thinking often focuses on solving symptoms rather than addressing the underlying problems. This can result in superficial solutions that don’t drive meaningful change.
The Emperor’s New Clothes
The design thinking hype reminds me of the classic fairy tale, “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” In the story, the emperor is swindled by two weavers who promise him the finest clothes that are invisible to anyone who is unfit for their position. The emperor, not wanting to appear foolish, pretends to see the clothes, and his courtiers follow suit.
Similarly, the tech industry has been swindled by the design thinking hype. Companies are investing heavily in design thinking initiatives, without critically evaluating their effectiveness. The result is a lot of superficial “design thinking” that doesn’t drive real innovation or value.
Drawing the curtains
Design thinking is not a bad thing. When applied thoughtfully, it can be a valuable approach to problem-solving. However, the hype around design thinking has led to a superficial understanding and application of the concept.
As an industry, we need to move beyond the buzzword and focus on creating real value for our users. We need to critically evaluate the effectiveness of design thinking initiatives and ensure that they’re driving meaningful innovation and results.
Let’s not be like the emperor and his courtiers, pretending to see the clothes when they’re not really there. Instead, let’s focus on creating real value and driving innovation that matters.