Unlocking Innovation: Reflections on Design Thinking from the Collective Conference

Recently, I had the privilege of sharing my insights on Design Thinking at the Collective Conference, an experience that was as enlightening for me as it was for the attendees. The energy and engagement from everyone who joined the workshop were incredibly inspiring. As we delved into the nuances of the Double Diamond approach and explored five core principles of Design Thinking, the interaction sparked a series of thoughtful questions and discussions.

Photo Credits: Justin Shye

After the session, several attendees reached out with questions, and I’d like to address them here so that we can all benefit from the discussion. During the conference, we discussed how Design Thinking isn’t just a tool for creating products but a transformative approach to innovation and problem-solving.

Here are some insightful questions from the event and my responses aimed at deepening our understanding and application of Design Thinking:

Educational Transformation:

“How can we implement Design Thinking to foster thinking and lifelong learning in schools in a scalable model?” - James

Think People First, then business and technology come second. The first question we need to validate is whether schools need to transition from their current model to a new form of learning that emphasizes critical thinking and fosters a habit of lifelong learning.

Once we’ve established hypotheses related to people and confirmed that this is what the target group truly needs, we can shift our focus to the business and technological aspects and explore how to scale these innovations.

Instead of solely concentrating on the “how,” I prefer to emphasize the “who.” There’s often someone, possibly in a different industry like healthcare, who has successfully tackled similar challenges. We can learn valuable lessons from their experiences. It’s crucial to engage with our target audience and relevant stakeholders – parents, teachers, and others – to test our concepts and validate our initial hypotheses.

For instance, in healthcare, there’s a strong emphasis on patient-centered care and personalized treatment plans. Similarly, schools could adopt a student-centric approach. By identifying students’ educational needs, strengths, and weaknesses through assessments, we can develop personalized learning plans tailored to each student’s requirements. This approach ensures that every student receives the necessary support and resources to thrive academically and personally.

Rethinking Elderly Care:

“How can we design a different nursing home experience?” - Clarissa

To begin redesigning any existing experience, it’s crucial first to understand the current experience.

Start by creating a journey map of the people involved (e.g., patients at a nursing home). Identify moments that are particularly challenging or frustrating for them. From there, brainstorm alternative solutions to alleviate or eliminate these pain points. This process serves as a practical starting point for meaningful redesign.

Career Coaching:

“How can I extend my coaching practice beyond my current industry?” - Kevin

Before starting any business, such as a coaching venture, validating your offerings by having meaningful conversations with potential customers is essential. However, mastering the art of asking questions can take years. We all hear the saying, "Asking the wrong question gets the wrong answers," and if we base our work on wrong answers, we will surely head into disaster.

Therefore, I suggest reading “The Mom Test” and practicing your skills to gain practical insights into effective questioning. This approach will greatly improve your ability to validate your business ideas successfully.

Product Launch Timing:

“When is the right time to launch a product after multiple tests?” - Sophia 

It's important to have confidence backed by data when deciding when to invest more resources in developing your idea. Begin by collecting qualitative insights using Design Thinking methods. As you move forward, transition to gathering quantitative data through A/B testing and scale-up testing.

You can read more about A/B Testing so let me share with you what scale-up testing is. Scale-up testing involves your team approaching 100 individuals from your target market directly to gauge interest in your business idea or product. They engage with potential customers in places frequented by your target demographic, presenting them with a flyer detailing the idea and price. This rapid approach provides a quick indication of potential market reception if you were to launch. By systematically testing and refining your approach through such methods, you’ll gather valuable insights to make informed decisions about moving forward with your idea.

Revitalizing Sales Teams:

“How can I lead my sales team to be more dynamic and results-driven?” - Jolynn

I recommend engaging directly with your sales team. Listen to their insights on what drives their success and where they face obstacles. By collaboratively exploring these aspects, you can co-create effective strategies that resonate with their unique dynamics and challenges. This approach fosters a supportive environment where solutions are crafted in alignment with the team’s real needs and aspirations.

Innovating in Non-Profits:

"How do you apply Design Thinking in Christian NGO and ministry." - Coro and Larry

Design thinking can be effectively applied in ministries as well. Start by understanding the needs and experiences of your congregation or the community you serve. Engage with them to identify key pain points and areas where their experience can be improved. Use methods like empathy mapping and journey mapping to gain insights, then brainstorm and prototype solutions that can enhance their experience and address their needs. Validate these solutions through feedback and iteration to ensure they are effective and impactful.

I'm not sure what challenges you face, but if it is about attracting people to volunteer to serve, I am often reminded of the project where the team had to redesign the San Francisco Opera Project. They are looking to revitalize and modernize the opera experience to attract a younger audience while maintaining the high production standards traditionally associated with opera—looking to attract younger audiences.

Photo Credits: Borgen Project

Design Thinking is a dynamic and versatile approach that requires ongoing learning and adaptation. Each question from the conference has reinforced the need to remain agile and responsive to the specific contexts and needs of different industries and sectors.

I invite you all to continue this conversation. Which of these insights resonates with your current challenges? What other questions might you have about implementing Design Thinking in your field? Let’s keep the dialogue going to explore even more innovative solutions together.

Thank you once again for your enthusiastic participation at the Collective Conference. Here’s to transforming challenges into opportunities through the power of Design Thinking!

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One of the principles we discussed during the conference was staying focused on outcomes over output. If you want to read more about it, you can read this article:- From Outputs to Outcomes: A Lesson in Impact

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[About the Author]

Jentz has a deep background in innovation and design across Europe and Malaysia. Committed to enhancing design practices, Jentz aims to help position Malaysia as a hub for creative and impactful solutions. Join him in exploring the potential of design thinking to tackle immediate challenges and inspire transformative change and innovation.