My Design Notes

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14 May 2012

10 design thinking tools for managers
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A few years ago I had the pleasure of attending an innovation workshop arranged by Tim Ogilvie of Peer Insight. Last year Tim Ogilvie and Jeanne Liedtka co-authored Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Toolkit for Managers (Columbia Business School Publishing). It was awarded Top Business Management Book of 2011 by leading business book reviewer 800-CEO-READ.

Citing from Designing for Growth, "This book aims to demystify design thinking by translating 'design' from an abstract idea into a practical, everyday tool any manager can profit from. Using a business perspective and business language, we’ll translate the vocabulary of design, unpack the mysterious connection between design thinking and profitable growth, introduce a systematic process (complete with simple project management aids), and teach you the ten tools you’ll need to marry the design approach to traditional business thinking in ways that enhance your ability to profitably grow your business."

The design process presented in the book deals with four very basic questions: What is? What if? What wows? and What works? The process is visualized using two intertwining bands that represent "divergent" and "convergent" thinking. In the early part of each stage of the process we are progressively expanding our vision whereas later we reverse the process by converging, progressively narrowing down our options to the most promising.

The ten tools associated with the design process are:
1. Visualization
2. Journey Mapping
3. Value Chain Analysis
4. Mind Mapping
5. Brainstorming
6. Concept Development
7. Assumption Testing
8. Rapid Prototyping
9. Customer Co-Creation
10. Learning Launch
The book contains explanations of the process and the tools, and several real-life examples. Visit the book's website at designingforgrowthbook.com.
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26 Apr 2012

Strategic Design Thinking for Innovations
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Yesterday's seminar by the Finnish Association of Consulting Firms (SKOL) was entitled "Innovation and know-how as success factors of the future". One of the five presenters was Marco Steinberg, Director of Strategic Design of the Finnish innovation fund SITRA. He talked about the evolving role of innovation in design.

Marco Steinberg started by giving three substantial changes in the requirements for innovation:
1. Instead of optimizing one part or entity we need to look at the problem holistically
2. We should have a suggestion-based instead of an analysis-driven innovation process
3. We should not limit ourselves to efficiency improvements – we should create something new
To illustrate his point of view he recited a true story of an Italian town with a problematic swimming pool. People had ceased to use it and the authorities hired an architect because they thought that the reason was the poor condition of the construction. After studying the problem the architect came up with a surprising solution. The construction was certainly in need of repair, but the reason people avoided it was the new bus schedules: they did not coincide well with the opening hours of the pool.

Design is traditionally seen as form giving. Designers are expected to follow a specification and deliver a solution accordingly. In the world of large-scale, complex, and often conflicting systems and interests this is no longer enough.

In an earlier presentation Mr. Steinberg characterized design as a problem-solving discipline for synthesizing disparate issues, integrating through deep understanding, and visualizing complex, multidimensional problems. He sees design as a process that includes iteration, prototyping, and the management of the whole sequence from inception to implementation. According to Steinberg the problem must be examined through multiple scales, perspectives, and contexts.

Steinberg has extended the domain of design into strategic design, which gives form to decision making. In the SKOL presentation he visualized this idea with a funnel diagram. Traditionally designers are involved at the narrow end of the funnel, after the big decisions have already been made. The room for innovation is very narrow, and in the worst case you are answering the wrong question with a brilliant design.

Strategic design is about "unpacking" the problem, creating several alternative funnels. Strategic design takes place before we are locked into a solution to the defined problem.

Steinberg's third diagram visualizes the three new stages of decision-making: 1) Strategic Design, 2) Stewardship, and 3) Implementation.

Innovation begins by asking the right questions. Strategic design thinking requires multidisciplinary dialog and integrated teams. This does not imply that innovation is a result of a consensus. Steinberg sees it as a major challenge, especially in Finland, that design is driven by a requirement to reach a consensus. This can kill killer innovations.

Images by Aarni Heiskanen, based on original images by Marco Steinberg
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12 Jan 2011

The next management tool - iPad
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I've heard from more than one companies that their management teams are getting iPads. Why?

Our company, Thinking Business, develops and sells software for strategic project portfolio management. Thinking Portfolio® is a SaaS tool that is used by company executives, steering groups, and project directors. The reason of its success lies in its simplicity and top-down approach. Now we've discovered that some executives are using it on iPad. Thinking Portfolio was designed before iPad was around, but its user interface is perfect for the Safari browser!

Management is always on the move, or in meetings. A smartphone is great, but its size is a limiting factor. I'm sure you'll find an iPad, or a similar device, in the hands of more and more executives. An intuitive tool, with easy-to-use management apps, is going to be a hit.

Image ©2011 Thinking Business
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