- What is design thinking?
Design thinking, developed by David Kelly and Tim Brown of Stanford, is a method of problem solving with empathy and innovation at the forefront. It revolves around understanding people’s needs, defining a problem, developing a creative solution, then refining that solution based on trial and error. The design thinking framework consists of five major stages: understand/empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. You are able to move around between each stage to better understand and refine your design challenge question.
2. How has design thinking influenced a product I use?
I believe that most modern technology has been designed using the design thinking framework. If we consider the smart phone as it is today then remember the product as it was 20 years ago, evidence of design thinking is clearly present. Smart phone companies (apple, Samsung, google, etc.) release new and improved versions of their products on an almost annual basis. These companies analyze how their products are being used to better understand customers and their needs. Once they have a clear picture of how their products must evolve to suit the customers’ needs, an upgraded version is developed and released.
3. What are the connections between opportunities and planning?
Opportunities are situations that can be systematically identified and harnessed to achieve a goal. Opportunities and planning can be connected by analyzing three areas: external environment (the market), missions and vision (what you want to achieve), and internal organization (planning). By understanding the market and what you personally want to achieve, one is able to identify opportunities and threats. Furthermore, carefully planning your internal organization against your mission and vision will help to identify strengths in weaknesses in your goals. One cannot act on an opportunity to their full potential without careful and meticulous planning on the best way forward.
4. What opportunities have I missed?
One significant missed opportunity While serving in the U.S. Navy there was not taking advantage of tuition assistance programs available to service members. I had the chance to pursue higher education at practically no cost, while maintaining the full balance of college benefits available to me once separated from service. Regrettably I didn’t seize the opportunity, and I am now facing the financial burden of paying for my master’s degree out of pocket. The benefits of tuition assistance could have significantly reduced the financial load of my educational pursuits today. This missed opportunity is a reminder of the importance of making informed decisions and capitalizing on opportunities as they present themselves.
5. Can a successful venture be unethical?
Conventional success metrics most often focus on achieving goals and generating profit. Businesses may be more willing to overlook the ethics of how these goals are achieved. In my opinion, there are many examples of a successful businesses that engage in unethical practices that cause harm to their employees, society, or the environment. I also believe consumers are more inclined to overlook ethical violations that don’t align with their personal moral identity, so long as they are receiving quality products at a bargain. An example of this is the increasingly popular fast fashion industry. These companies achieve success by catering to consumer demand for cheap, trendy clothing, at the expense of labor rights and environmental sustainability.