Jason Sandifer

5/24/2023

1 What is Design thinking?

Design thinking is a thinking process thought up by two guys at Stanford University.  It is a way of thinking to help people solve problems.  The difference with design thinking is it takes into account context and culture.  This way of thinking also brings empathy to the problem-solving process.  Empathy is where the group working on the problem-solving process takes into account the feeling and how it affects the problem is hurting.  This way of thinking also brings in other people from different disciples to the group to help gain information from different points of view and experience.

2. How has design thinking influenced a product I use?

   I had to really think about this one, because I don’t know enough about design thinking to figure out when it was used or what products it was used on.  I did figure out one though and it came to me from the videos about the one student and the rat problem.  I have used humane traps to catch mice without harming them or using chemicals.  The product was a trap where you put bait in and the mice go in and are trapped.  Then I took it to an area away from our house and released them.  This trap after thinking about it was like the situation in the video where the student did not want to use chemicals or hurt the mouse.  The design thinking may have gone into this product.  The product solves a problem with mice in the house, plus shows thoughts of empathy to both the mouse and the homeowner.  I did not have to harm the mouse or use chemicals to get them out of my house, plus the mouse did not have to die in its removal.

3. What are the connections between opportunities and planning?

  The connection between opportunities and planning is that one needs the other.  Opportunities need to be developed in a structured and systematic way to have a better chance to be successful.  The way to develop opportunities in a structured and systematic way is by planning.  The planning part of this is done by analyzing the environment and trying to fight change blindness.  Analyzing is where you have to figure out your vision and how it will help society. This part also helps you look at threats, laws, and what the customer wants.  The answer to these can help you make a better version of your product or service and where and when to bring the product to market.

4 What opportunities have I missed?

   This question could have a thousand answers or not a single answer.  I do not have a clue to the question.  I personally have never tried to start a business or even  brainstormed an idea for a business.  This is the first time in my life that I have even talked about opportunities or starting a business.  I would say that I could maybe say I missed opportunities early on in college when I participated in parties more than studied.  I would say that could be thought of as a missed opportunity to keep my grades high and make the most of my time.  If you consider not taking a job for whatever reason I did not take it.  This question is a hard one for me to answer.  Like earlier stated I have never once in my life tried or cared to try to start a business or thought of an idea that could be a business.

5. Can a successful venture be unethical?

  I would say yes a successful venture can be unethical to a point.  I say to a point in the fact that if one takes too many unethical steps the venture could fail in the long run.  As in the module video where she tells the story of the Silicon Valley CEO would not send untrue statements to funders.  The fact that they would not is an awesome stance for them to take.  The fact is that sending slightly wrong numbers to continue getting funding until you have a finished product or the service catches on might be in the best interest of the employees and the stakeholders in the long run.  The biggest problem in unethical practices is that it might be unethical but not illegal.  This is where the gray area is for this question.  Illegal gets you sued or thrown in jail but unethical like in the video where a company lays off a third of the workers but the C level floors get bonuses for saving the stock price for the investors.  This is not an illegal act, but in my eyes could and should be considered unethical.  This situation depending on which theory one likes to use might even be considered ethical.  This is a situation where the best is done for the most people.  The number of workers laid off is small in comparison to the number of shareholders that most companies have.  Some companies have millions of shares out on the market and if the price drops it hurts the most people.  Therefore, if laying off a large number of workers helps the larger number of shareholders this might be an ethical act.  I do not feel that way but illegal and ethical are sometimes not on the same playing field.