Change The Way You Solve Problems Using Design Thinking
Summary
TLDRThis video script delves into the concept of design thinking, a problem-solving approach that prioritizes human-centered solutions. It emphasizes the interconnectedness of systems and the importance of understanding root causes, as illustrated by the Washington Monument case study. The speaker shares insights on applying design thinking to various problems, from business to personal life, and encourages viewers to use problem tree analysis to uncover biases and mental models, ultimately leading to elegant solutions.
Takeaways
- đ€ Design thinking is a problem-solving approach that involves moving from an undesirable situation to a more desirable one, as suggested by Herbert Simon.
- đ Design thinking is not just for products; it's a daily practice that influences decisions from clothing choices to meals.
- đ It encourages viewing problems as interconnected systems to find elegant solutions, emphasizing the importance of understanding the root causes.
- đ„ This approach is people-centric, prioritizing the individual's experiences and stories in the problem-solving process.
- đ Design thinking offers a repeatable process that has been proven successful in various studies and applications, from academia to corporate environments.
- đ It can be applied to a wide range of problems, both business and personal, with the process remaining consistent regardless of the content.
- đł The Problem Tree Analysis is a tool used in design thinking to visualize the problem and its effects, as well as to identify underlying root causes.
- đ The Washington Monument case study illustrates how design thinking can lead to uncovering the root cause of a problem and result in a simple, effective solution.
- đĄ Design thinking involves questioning assumptions and challenging the status quo to get to the heart of the issue, as demonstrated in the Silicon Valley company example.
- đŁïž Asking questions is fundamental to the design thinking process, helping to reveal biases and mental models that could hinder finding an elegant solution.
- đ Keeping the human perspective central to the problem-solving journey is key to finding solutions that resonate and create raving fans.
Q & A
What is the definition of design thinking according to Herbert Simon?
-Design thinking, as defined by Herbert Simon, is a way of thinking that involves moving from an undesirable situation to a desirable one through the process of design.
Why is design thinking considered powerful in everyday life?
-Design thinking is powerful because it is used in everyday decisions, from choosing clothes to selecting food, and it helps in transitioning from an undesirable state to a more desirable one.
What are the two main reasons design thinking is essential to problem solving?
-Design thinking is essential because it puts people first in the problem-solving journey, ensuring solutions are tailored to human needs, and it provides a repeatable process that leads to successful solutions.
Can design thinking be applied to any type of problem?
-Yes, design thinking can be applied to any problem, from business issues to personal challenges, as it offers a universal process that adapts to different content.
What is the purpose of problem tree analysis in design thinking?
-Problem tree analysis helps to identify the root causes of a problem by examining the visible effects and underlying causes, enabling a more elegant and effective solution.
What is an example of how design thinking was applied to solve a real-world problem?
-The Washington Monument maintenance issue was addressed using design thinking by identifying the root cause of the deterioration as the moths attracted by the lights, leading to a solution of turning off the lights to reduce the problem.
What is the significance of asking questions in the design thinking process?
-Asking questions is crucial in design thinking as it helps to uncover biases, mental models, and root causes, leading to more effective and elegant solutions.
How did the speaker use design thinking to address a growth problem at a Silicon Valley company?
-The speaker applied design thinking by questioning the pre-diagnosed problem and solution, revealing the need to keep the human perspective central and to explore biases and mental models to find an elegant solution.
What is the role of keeping the human at the center of the conversation in design thinking?
-Keeping the human at the center ensures that solutions are tailored to human problems and needs, leading to solutions that make people raving fans.
What tools or resources are suggested for enhancing the understanding of design thinking?
-The script suggests downloading the problem tree analysis template and exploring links to powerful design thinking books and articles to deepen one's understanding and application of design thinking.
How does design thinking help in revealing biases or mental models that could hinder an elegant solution?
-Design thinking surfaces biases and mental models by encouraging questioning and exploration, which helps in identifying and overcoming obstacles to finding effective solutions.
Outlines
đ€ Introduction to Design Thinking
The first paragraph introduces the concept of design thinking as a problem-solving approach. It references Herbert Simon's view from the 1960s, suggesting that design is the process of moving from an undesirable to a desirable situation. The speaker emphasizes that design thinking is a daily activity, from choosing clothes to selecting food, and highlights its power in addressing problems at various levels. The paragraph also points out that design thinking views problems as interconnected systems, aiming for elegant solutions. It underscores the importance of design thinking in putting people first and providing a repeatable process for successful problem-solving, supported by studies from Stanford University and Fortune 500 companies like PepsiCo. The paragraph concludes by stating the universal applicability of design thinking to any problem, from business to personal issues.
đł Problem Tree Analysis and Root Cause Identification
The second paragraph delves into the specifics of the design thinking process, introducing the problem tree analysis as a tool for identifying root causes of problems. It describes the structure of the problem tree, with the problem at the center and visible effects above, while the root causes lie below, often unseen. The paragraph uses the example of the Washington Monument's maintenance issue to illustrate how a design thinker would question the assumptions and identify the root cause, leading to a simple and effective solution. The example demonstrates the power of design thinking in reframing problems and reaching elegant solutions by addressing the root causes. The speaker also shares personal experience with a Silicon Valley company facing a growth problem, hinting at the challenges of scaling and the inefficiency of administrative work, and suggesting that the company's preconceived notions about the problem and solution may need reevaluation.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄDesign Thinking
đĄProblem Tree Analysis
đĄRoot Causes
đĄHerbert Simon
đĄInterconnected Systems
đĄPeople-First
đĄRepeatable Process
đĄElegant Solution
đĄBiases
đĄMental Models
đĄUniversal Language
Highlights
Design thinking is a problem-solving approach that views problems as interconnected systems.
Herbert Simon defined design as moving from an undesirable situation to a desirable one.
Design thinking is applied in everyday life, from choosing clothes to selecting food.
It emphasizes putting people first in the problem-solving process for better solutions.
Design thinking offers a repeatable process that leads to successful solutions, supported by studies from Stanford University and Fortune 500 companies.
Design thinking can solve any problem, from business to personal issues.
The universality of design thinking makes it a powerful tool for various problems.
Problem Tree Analysis is a graphic tool used in design thinking to identify root causes of problems.
The Washington Monument case study demonstrates how design thinking addressed the root cause of deterioration.
Turning off lights reduced moths, spiders, and pigeons, leading to less cleaning and maintenance costs.
Design thinking helps reframe problems to get to the root cause effectively.
A Silicon Valley company's growth problem was addressed by questioning preconceived notions and biases.
Asking questions is a fundamental part of the design thinking approach.
Keeping the human perspective central is crucial for elegant solutions in design thinking.
Design thinking reveals biases and mental models that might hinder finding an elegant solution.
Problem Tree Analysis helps build a universal language for collaborative problem-solving.
Encourages the use of the Problem Tree Analysis template and resources for enhancing design thinking skills.
Transcripts
when you approach a problem to solve do
you ever wonder
if there's a better way to get to the
solution
stick around to learn how design
thinking can help
start it up
so what is design thinking anyway let's
take
herbert simon the american economist and
something he suggested
in the late 1960s his point of view was
design
can be a way of thinking that design is
nothing more than moving from an
undesirable situation to a desirable one
you design every day
from the clothes you choose to the food
you eat an undesirable situation is
i'm hungry a desirable one i'm fed
so you're doing this every day just at
different levels
that is the power of design thinking now
what design thinking asks you to do
is look at all these problems as
interconnected systems to come to a more
elegant solution
now design thinking is essential to
problem solving for two really big
reasons one it puts people
first in the problem-solving journey the
closer you stay
to the person and their stories the
better the solution will be
number two design thinking provides a
repeatable process that leads
almost virtually to successful solutions
and there are studies to show this from
stanford university
to fortune 500 companies like pepsico
now what kind of problems can design
thinking solve
simply put any you can look at anything
from a business problem to a personal
problem
i use it to help my customers solve
communication strategies
but i also help my daughter communicate
more effectively with her peers
the process is the same the content is
the only thing that differs
and when you see the universality of
this it becomes such a powerful tool
okay so how does this work let me help
you by having you take a look at this
graphic
this is called the problem tree analysis
now what you see here the center of the
trunk is
the problem and as you look upward you
see all the visible effects of this
problem but if you look down below there
are
all the different causes now like in
real life the challenge is
really getting to the root causes
you can't see what's underneath and what
design thinking helps you to do
is get to the heart get to the root of
that potential problem
and what design thinking provides is
the ability to question do i have
everything i need to solve this problem
so let's make this real
the washington monument in washington dc
is a great example
there's a group that's responsible for
maintaining
the monument and what they saw was that
it was crumbling
little bits and pieces were actually
coming off the monument
now the group responsible for
maintaining the
large monument felt that it was the
chemicals in their cleaning process that
was creating
the deterioration but one lonely design
thinker asked
why are we so aggressive with the
cleaning process to which most replied
it's because of the pigeon poop why are
pigeons pooping there
it's an obelisk there's really no place
for a bird to sit
let alone poop and the group replied
it's because they're there for the
spiders
pigeons love to eat spiders okay well
why are spiders there
right there's a lot of foot traffic you
know that's not a safe place for spiders
well spiders are coming there because of
moths moths are a delicacy to spiders so
they're
willing to risk their lives to have that
moth
okay well why are the moths there and
the group replied well because of the
lights
they turn on the lights an hour before
dusk to which the design thinker
pointed out why don't we just turn off
the lights
so over the next six weeks the group
tested this root cause out and what they
found was that there was an
85 reduction in moths
and which led to less spiders which led
to less
birds and their poop and a wonderful
byproduct
is that they were able to spend less
money on the cleaning
and maintenance process so the design
thinking is a powerful way to reframe
and get to the root of the real problem
let me share a little bit of my
experience
i was invited to a silicon valley
company a few years ago to help them
with a
growth problem at the time the company
was experiencing a 10x growth
not a bad problem to have but what was
happening is all these top sellers
were trying to respond to these
customers and prospects
but were being dragged down by
administrative work like contracts and
sows and that type of thing and it
wasn't that the team was above doing the
work
they just couldn't scale fast enough and
even if they did hire people
the onboarding process was just too long
in order to really effectively help
their clients
so when i entered the building and met
their stakeholders
they were already pre-diagnosed as
knowing the problem
and the solution they said eric the
issue is we need a new piece of software
a new platform would just fix everything
and they could go back to selling before
i even think about
solving the problem i asked three
questions
of my clients first do we know this is
true
if you make decisions of this type or do
this type of research
what does that look like what i'm trying
to unearth are any biases or mental
models
helps me get into the mind to figure out
what they've done in the past
number two who else believes it's true
if you've done research what do the
researchers say is there context that
needs to be said
and so we want to get these people in
the room talking and exploring
lastly who makes the final decision even
if you all agree
that the problem is what it is you have
to figure out
are you tackling it the same way are you
coming at the problem
from the same approach if not it creates
misalignment which creates
some real red flags design thinking
helps surface that
so what did i just learn well asking
questions and
asking questions again is a great start
to using the design thinking approach
but most importantly you need to keep
the person
at the center of the conversation how
are we solving
for other human problems but we also
want to reveal any biases or
mental models that might get in the way
of an elegant solution
when you keep the human front and center
of the problem-solving journey
you will come to elegant solutions that
makes them
raving fans number two design thinking
is a repeatable process and when you use
methods like the problem tree analysis
it helps build a universal language
to have others join in your problem
solving journey
number three design thinking is about
asking
questions to get to the root causes
i want you to put this to use today
download
the problem tree analysis template in
the description below
get teams together your friends to
figure out what you could do
using the problem tree analysis to learn
more
check out our links to powerful design
thinking books
and articles across the internet we
think you'll find these very useful in
jump starting your design thinking
[Music]
process
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