Design thinking is not a skill that can be gathered overnight. The insights from this process must be gathered from research, experience, and experimentation over a broad spectrum of “learn by doing” exercises throughout our careers. As such, there is not a “get rich quick scheme” in the mind of a true design thinker.
Instead, true design thinkers must ground themselves in the design thinking mindset, then following the design thinking process, with the goal and intention of developing and identifying a probable outcome. I will guide you in this process by discussing two strategies for success in design thinking for innovators.
Adopt A Courageous Mindset
To take a journey through the design thinking process, you must exhibit some courageousness. The ability to challenge yourself and accept change is often very challenging. Many individuals may go their whole lives without truly embracing the opportunities and perspectives that surround them.
The first step in developing a courageous mindset is having trust in yourself and belief in your capabilities. Your skills, experience, and capabilities will then drive individuals to respect you and help you develop a form of authority.
The act of adopting a courageous mindset is what will set you apart from other designers, accelerating your process and enabling you to lead change within your organization.
Challenge the Status Quo
In order to set forth and really adopt the mindset required to be an effective design thinker, one of the first steps in challenging the status quo. The status quo is referred to as the state of existing affairs with regard to an issue or problem at hand.
By challenging the status quo, you begin to accept that there is in fact another (better!) way in which said the problem can be handled. This mindset then allows you to be open to new prospects and ideas and fosters deeper thought and innovation.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to design thinking, what would you say is the biggest challenge you face in the eyes of others?
For many that challenge is understanding that all problems can be viewed from different perspectives and there’s often not a single cut and paste answer to solve any one particular problem.
This is why it’s essential we work together to solve complex problems. Together, we can leverage the ideas of our teams and collaborate to furnish a single outcome in support of a common goal.
