Putting Design Thinking to Work (eBook)

Contents 6
Chapter 1: Introduction 10
What is Design Thinking? 11
Innovating in Diverse and Autonomous Teams 14
Creating Room(s) for Innovation 16
Mobilising Creative Potential: The Design Thinking Process 18
Reframing Design Challenges: The Problem Space 19
Solving Problems Through Innovation: The Solution Space 21
Round and Round It Goes: Iteration 21
Brief Overview of the Book 24
References 27
Chapter 2: Innovation, Wicked Problems and Design Thinking 29
Why People Want Design Thinking: Innovation and Organisational Survival 30
Innovation in Businesses 30
Innovation in the Economy 32
Shelter from the Storm: Fads and Fashions in Management 33
Why People May Need Design Thinking 35
Innovation in the Public Sector: Value as Problem-Solving 35
Wicked Problems 39
Knowledge, Frames and Paradigms 41
Solving Wicked Problems: Integrative Thinking and Clumsy Solutions 42
Design Thinking, Integrative Thinking and Clumsy Solutions 44
Conclusion 48
References 49
Chapter 3: Clumsy Solutions, Messy Institutions and Cultural Change 51
Wicked Problems, Innovation and Large Organisations 52
Reasons for Organisational Failure 52
Transformation and Organisational Viability 54
More In-Built Failure 59
From Ambidextrous to Multi-Dextrous Organisations 62
Messy Institutions 71
Four Roads to Clumsiness 71
Four Sets of Strengths and Weaknesses 74
Messy Institutions and Design Thinking 76
Conclusion 77
References 79
Chapter 4: Creating Social Spaces for Exploration 81
Space, Deliberation and Mini-Publics 82
Carving New Organisational Spaces Out of Institutional Silos 84
Expanding and Narrowing Strategic Options for Organisations 87
Individual Discomforts, Professional Grievances 88
Three Patterns of Resistance: Disruption, Agenda-Setting and Manipulation 90
Disruption: Controlling Self-Governance and Accountability 90
Agenda-Setting: Controlling Autonomy 92
Manipulation: Controlling Debate 93
Lessons Learnt 93
Design Thinking Causes Alienation Too 94
Senior Management Support May Not Be Enough 94
Design Thinking Spaces Need Protection at Operational Level 95
New Management of Interfaces 95
Conclusion 96
References 98
Chapter 5: Hunting, Gathering and Taking It Home: Bringing New Perspectives and Perceptions into Organisations 100
Hunting, Gathering and Taking It Home: Strengthening Diversity in Teams and Giving Users a Voice in the Design Process 101
Mobilising Diversity 103
Teasing Out Diversity Within Teams 103
Hunting and Gathering: Incorporating User Voices in Design Processes 104
The Benefits of a Rich Pool of Ideas 106
Confronting Assumptions 106
Designing Better Outputs 107
The Difficulties of Setting Up a Richer Pool of Ideas (And an Open Question) 108
Marginalisation and Exclusion 108
Lacking Skills 109
Misuse and Misunderstanding 110
How Diverse Is Diversity? 111
Lessons Learnt 111
Acknowledge Shifts of Accountability and Legitimacy 112
Enable Continuous Learning 113
Balance Exploration and Exploitation in Methods 114
Ensure a Requisite Variety of Voices 115
Conclusion 115
References 117
Chapter 6: Design Thinking and Messy Practices 119
Messy Design Thinking 120
Output-Oriented Practices 121
Inclusion-Oriented Practices 126
Process-Oriented Practices 129
Chance-Oriented Practices 131
Strengths and Weaknesses of Contending Practices 132
Avoiding Dilettantism 132
Preventing Paralysis 134
Reigning in Expertise 134
Pluralist Practices in Large Organisations 136
Output-Oriented Practices 136
Inclusion-Oriented Practices 138
Process-Oriented and Chance-Oriented Practices 139
Messiness in Practice: Impacts of Messy Practices on Large Organisations 140
Output- and Inclusion-Oriented Practices as an Antidote to Prevailing Process Orientation 141
Dilettantism: Undesired Impacts of Output-Oriented Practices 144
Paralysis and Intolerance 145
Lessons Learnt 146
Design Thinking Practices Are `Messy´, But Concentrate on Output and Inclusion 146
Design Thinking Programmes at the HPI Schools of Design Thinking Are Probably More `Messy´ Than the Design Thinking Initiative... 147
Design Thinking Initiatives in Large Organisations Tend to Be Embedded in Predominantly Hierarchical Institutional Contexts 147
There May Be a Trade-Off Between Delivering Innovation and Bringing About Cultural Change Within the Wider Organisation 148
Conclusion 148
References 150
Chapter 7: Leadership, Design Thinking and Messy Institutions 152
Networks of T-Shaped People: Autonomous, Transversal and Pluralist 152
Design Thinkers Are Autonomous and Responsible 153
Networks of T-Shaped People Cut Across Organisational Boundaries 154
Networks of T-Shaped People Are Pluralist and Diverse 155
Leadership Challenges and Opportunities 156
Enabling Collaboration 156
Making Sense of Ambiguity 159
Encouraging Constructive Conflict 162
Engaging with Design Thinking 166
Experiencing Design Thinking 166
Hands-on Management 167
Tailoring Design Thinking 168
Conclusion 170
References 171
Chapter 8: Conclusion 173
The Conceptual Framework: Wicked Problems, Innovation and Messy Institutions 173
Design Thinking in Practice 178
What Worked? 179
Structures 180
Ideas 181
Practices 182
What Didn´t Work 183
Structures 184
Ideas 184
Practices 185
New Ideas and Insights 187
Simply Replacing Organisational Cultures Is Unlikely to Work 187
The New Management: Interfaces, Ambiguity and Conflict 188
Design Thinking Teams Are Vulnerable and Need Protection 189
Design Thinking Requires Active Dissemination 189
Innovation and Organisational Transformation May Pull in Opposite Directions 190
Open Questions 191
How Best to Gauge and Operationalise Messiness 191
How to Best Protect Design Thinking Teams in Large Organisations? 192
How to Ensure That Design Thinking´s Structures, Ideas and Practices Diffuse Through the Organisation? 193
References 195