How Does Design Thinking Reshape Innovation Strategies?

Design thinking focuses on solutions

Many organizations still fall victim to focusing on the problem rather than the solution to that problem. When you embrace design thinking, teams are organically encouraged to take a customer-centric approach. Given that client-centric businesses are 60% more profitable, the incentives for making this switch are clear.

Design thinking ensures that innovators ask the right questions, such as “Who is the product for?” and “How does it solve the problem?”. Aside from guiding the decision-making process, it provides clarity regarding market positioning. In turn, resonating with a target audience becomes easier too.

Design thinking promotes iteration 

Innovations require iteration, which is why many traditional approaches to innovation have become outdated. Design thinking, however, encourages continued analysis of innovations and ideas. Teams will subsequently be positioned to improve innovations before and after they are released to market. 

In turn, this allows intrapreneurs to address developments ranging from changing client behaviors, to the emergence of new tech or competitor products. Business landscapes are constantly changing but design thinking is a mindset that keeps an eye on sustained success without compromising short-term goals.

Design thinking challenges assumptions

Forbes describes corporate innovation as “having out-of-the-box thinking as a strategy within your business”. Design thinking looks to define a client’s problem before challenging assumptions to generate new ideas and actively look for alternative solutions. 

Crucially, this commitment to out-of-the-box thinking and searching for solutions also helps to promote psychological safety. Intrapreneurs will gain the freedom to work on ideas without the fear of ridicule. This is because failed innovations become steps on the road to finding the right solution.

Design thinking creates a clear product roadmap

Efficient product roadmapping is a vital aspect of the innovation process as it helps innovations reach the market in a timely and cost-effective manner. The design thinking methodology has prototyping and testing phases as essential steps. 

Furthermore, design thinking encourages teams to work together and gain feedback from all directions. This is crucial for the innovation process to help innovators determine their next steps and set out a clear product roadmap.

Embrace design thinking today

Design thinking is an essential method when it comes to the innovation process. Having the right tools in place to facilitate company-wide innovation is equally crucial. With KICKBOX, teams can innovate individually and collectively while ensuring that ideas align with the company’s goals as well as the client’s demands.