How design thinking can improve daily workflow

Users first over design.

Design Thinking is an iterative process in which we seek to understand the user, challenge assumptions, and redefine problems in an attempt to identify alternative strategies and solutions that might not be instantly apparent with our initial level of understanding (via Interaction Design Foundation.)

Design thinking isn’t specific to design projects, it can also be applied to our workflow - Dribbble has outlined this using the essential 5 design thinking aspects:

🔸 Empathize

• Empathise with the user - this is us. To work at our best, what do we need - flexibility? Efficiency? Collaboration? By making a list that includes concrete things and how we want to feel is a good starting point

🔸 Define

• Once our needs and wants are defined we can evaluate our current workflow model to see what isn’t working. By defining the problems this will help us figure out the solutions

🔸 Ideate

• Once you know what you want and have identified the current issues, we can brainstorm for solutions. Look at each phase critically and come up with alternatives that may be inspired from others. Don’t be afraid to throw out every idea.

🔸 Prototype

• Organise your ideas into which seem like the best solutions to your problems and create a prototype for your new workflow. List out the steps and detail how you’ll tackle each phase - consider models or forms to best display your prototypes

🔸 Test

• Trial out your new workflow looking at areas that address the problems and shortfalls

• Keep iterating until you find a flow that fits

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