Design Thinking for HR Professionals Dan Buchner, Lougheed Leadership at The Banff Centre
A way of solving complex problems What is Design Thinking? Creating innovative solutions Human centered Exploratory Using tools and techniques of designers
Business Thinking Logical Deductive/Inductive Proof to proceed Require precedents A right and a wrong Quick to decide Dislike ambiguity Want results Design Thinking Intuitive Abductive reasoning Asks what if? Unconstrained by the past A better way Holds possibilities open Relishes ambiguity Want meaning
What Design Thinking Does. Identifies new opportunities Connects you with your customers Turns insights into actionable ideas Quickly creates new business solutions
Bias towards action Tenets of Design Thinking. Human centered Highly collaborative Iterative and experimental Focused on learning
What the Design Thinking Process Linear Orderly Milestone based is Not.
The Design Thinking Process. Inspire Define the challenge Observe people Form insights Ideate Frame opportunities Brainstorm ideas Iterate Experiment Prototype Re-envision
Concise (7 to 10 words) Free of jargon FRAMING AN CH ALLEN GE STATEM EN T Free of criteria Affirmative in orientation Begin with How to (H2) or In what ways might.. (IWWM) Identify the owner of the problem (I, we, etc.) Include an action verb Include the object, goal, or area of concern
REFRAMING A CH ALLEN GE STATEM EN T 1. Begin with a well framed challenge statement. 2. Ask and answer Why? about the challenge as currently framed. 3. Reframe the response to Why into a new framed challenge statement. 4. Go to another level of abstraction by repeating steps 2 and 3. 5. Repeat these steps until the answers become too broad.
values aspirations experiences INNOVATION problem approach attributes
Likely to receive a long answer Open Ended Questions Causes one to think and reflect Gets opinions and feelings Respondent in control W hy? W hat? H ow? Describe
Assume we understand Internal/ Passive Listening Thinking of next question Paying attention to own opinions What does this mean for my preferred solution?
Focused on the other Paying attention to more then words Focused/ Interactive Listening Guided by what the other says and does Watching expressions and emotions What don t they say? What do they value? What gets them energized?
Don t listen for affirmation Using Focused Listening Look for things that challenge Avoid judgments Listen for things to help reframe Stay curious
START BROAD TH EN GO D EEP What is observed What does their House look like? What brands have they chosen? What are their consumption patterns? What is in their cupboards, refrigerator and waste bin? Values Aspirations Experience Attributes What is discussed What is important to you? What do want your life to look like in the future? What is your daily routine? What do you look for in a beverage container? Beverage Container Example
Tool to develop a deep understanding of people and their experiences Empathy Mapping Capture and understand people s experiences, thinking, feelings, desires and values Allow for the synthesis of observations Draw out unexpected insights
What does she Think and Feel? What really counts Major preoccupations Worries and Aspirations What does she Hear? What friends say What boss say What influencers say? What does she See? Environment Friends What the market offers What does she Say and Do? Attitude in public Appearance Behaviors towards others Pai n Fears Frustrations Obstacles Interviewee Gain Wants & needs Measure of success Desire to achieve
Rich multi-dimensional description of a group of like people Personas Based on, but more then, typical demographic descriptions Keeps people at the centre of our work A source of unexpected insights Alignment tool with an organization
Multidimensional visual description of a person s experience over time From their perspective Journey Mapping Allows for an understanding of how people interact with a product, service or system Aligns a organization around the how their product, service or system is actually used by people A source of unexpected insights
Seeing into a situation Understanding the inner nature Insights Observations are the What Insights are the Why A generally acceptable interpretation that we can objectively rationalize based on our observations.
Authentic supported by observations The Best Insights Non-obvious news you can use Revealing how people think and feel
Insights are not.. Solutions Better organized counters would improve the customer experience Mission statements By providing world class customer service the staff can ensure the best possible customer experience
Focused on the positive and the future Opportunity Frami ng Based on insights gained from observations Clearly articulated to align effort Not rationale Basis for generating possible solutions to be prototyped
Defer judgment. Encourage wild ideas. (IDEO s) Rules of Brainstorming Build on other s ideas. Stay focused on the topic. One conversation at a time. Be visual. Go for quantity.
Prototype A prototype is any kind representation, in any medium, that is designed to understand, explore or communicate what it might be like to engage with the product, space or system we are designing. M. Buchenau and JF Suri
Learn from direct experience. Prototyping Simulate possible solutions. Low cost. Low risk. Fast. Build Alignment.
The Road to Wisdom The road to wisdom? - Well, it s plain and simple to express: err and err and err again but less and less and less. Piet Hein
Explain or learn about possible solutions Why Prototype Explore the validity and viability of possible solutions Gain alignment around possible solutions
Communication Tool get everyone on the same page Types of Prototypes Design Tool work though the details of a possible solution Consensus Tool gain support from stakeholders Feasibility Tool Can we do this? Is it worth doing? Marketing Tools selling the idea to your customers
Understand your audience and intent Plan a little prototype the rest Principals of Prototyping It s a prototype not the Mona Lisa If can t make it, fake it Prototype only what you need Reduce risk by prototyping early and often Set expectations when presenting a prototype
Dan_Buchner@BanffCentre.ca Lougheed Leadership at The Banff Centre