Welcome to stage two of our Design Thinking series: Define. After having empathised with our users, it’s time to turn that understanding into clear, actionable insights. The Define stage is critical in the Design Thinking process.
It’s here that we begin to narrow down thoughts, ideas, and data collected in the first stage, focusing on the most pressing issues to solve. With Veritern’s effective team and pragmatic approach, this process is customised, enabling us to frame our problem in a human-centric manner effectively. So, whether you’re an experienced professional or a novice, let’s dive into the world of Design Thinking with Veritern and uncover how to shape a well-defined problem statement.
The transition from Empathise to Define
The Empathise stage, the first step in the Design Thinking process, is all about understanding the users and their needs. Here, we interacted directly with our users to gather real and raw insights. Here’s a recap of the significant outcomes and outputs from the Empathise stage:
- Gained a deep understanding of our users’ needs, motivations, and challenges
- Collected a vast amount of qualitative and quantitative data through user interviews, observations, and surveys
- Identified patterns and trends within the collected data
- Developed empathy maps to visualise users’ thoughts and feelings
- Created user personas to represent different user types within our target demographic
These results have equipped us with a comprehensive understanding of the users and their needs. Now, we are ready to transition into the Define stage, where we will interpret these insights and frame the right problem to solve.
Transitioning from the Empathise to the Define stage is much like refining raw gold into a precious jewel. We begin by immersing ourselves in the rich data collected during the Empathise stage, analysing it closely to identify patterns, trends, and insights. This thorough analysis allows us to interpret the users’ needs, motivations, and challenges from a fresh perspective.
Understanding the Problem
“The ‘Define’ stage is where innovation truly starts in the Design Thinking process. It’s where we distil complex information to frame the real problem at hand. It’s not about finding a solution but about defining the right challenge to tackle.”
– Tim Brown, CEO, IDEO
It’s crucial to adopt a systematic approach when analysing and interpreting the insights collected during the Empathise stage. Start by organising the data into meaningful categories, which can involve clustering similar ideas and segregating contrasting ones. Look for patterns, trends and anomalies in the data. It’s important to question why these trends exist and what implications they may have for the users.
Defining the problem in a human-centric manner is the cornerstone of Design Thinking. It’s not enough just to identify a problem; we must understand how it impacts our users. This involves empathising with our users, recognising their needs, and framing the problem statement in a way that reflects their perspective. Remember, the Define stage is not about finding solutions but about articulating the right problem to solve.
By adopting a human-centric approach, we ensure that our solutions are not only effective and efficient, but also impactful and meaningful to those we’re designing for. In turn, this increases the likelihood of our solution being adopted and appreciated by our users, delivering genuine value in their lives. After all, in the world of Design Thinking, the user is at the heart of everything we do.
Unpacking Insights: Tools for Problem Framing in Design Thinking
Creating an “Affinity Diagram” can be a useful tool in this stage. This technique allows us to group insights according to their natural relationships, helping us to identify common themes and connections between different data points. Another beneficial tool is the “Empathy Map”, which we use to visualise the user’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations.
An “Affinity Diagram” is a powerful visual tool used to organise a large amount of data into cohesive, manageable categories. Think of it as a cognitive map that outlines the terrain of your collected insights, grouping them based on their inherent connections and similarities. The process
- starts with writing down individual observations or insights on sticky notes,
- then gradually clustering together related notes in a manner that uncovers patterns, relationships, or themes.
This method is dynamic and collaborative, allowing for various perspectives to be considered. The result is a clear and comprehensive representation of complex data, facilitating a deeper understanding of the user’s needs and leading to a well-defined problem statement.
More tool suggestions can be found in our previous article: Design Thinking in Practice.
Framing the Problem with Veritern
As we delve into the Define stage of the Design Thinking process, Veritern plays a significant role in shaping a clear and concise problem statement. At Veritern, we understand that defining a problem accurately and in a user-centric manner paves the way for effective solution generation.
Veritern’s approach in the Define stage is comprehensive and methodical. We begin by taking the raw data and insights gained from the Empathise stage and assembling them in a structured manner. Using a variety of tools and techniques, we help you organise the information into meaningful categories, identify patterns and trends, and highlight key user challenges and needs.
“At Apple, we’ve found that the ‘Define’ stage in Design Thinking is instrumental in our product development process. It ensures we’re focussed on solving the right problems for our users, keeping our innovation user-centric.”
– Jonathan Ive, Former Chief Design Officer, Apple Inc.
But we don’t stop there. Veritern also employs innovative methods to enhance the problem-framing process. For instance, we use Affinity Diagrams and Empathy Maps, as discussed earlier, in an interactive and collaborative manner. This practice allows various stakeholders to contribute their unique perspectives, thereby ensuring a holistic understanding of the user and their situation.
Through this approach, Veritern makes the Define stage a collaborative, engaging, and effective process. By framing the right problem to solve, we lay a strong foundation for the subsequent stages of the Design Thinking process, setting the stage for innovative and user-centric solutions.
Methods and Techniques
In the Define stage of the Design Thinking process, certain methods and techniques are used to synthesise and make sense of the gathered insights. Amongst these are Point Of View (POV) statements and How Might We (HMW) questions.
Point Of View Statements
A Point Of View (POV) statement is a meaningful and actionable problem statement that emerges from the user’s needs, problems, and insights. These statements are grounded in user data and reflect a deep understanding of the user and their context. They help to clarify the user’s needs, making it easier to address them with targeted solutions.
Creating a POV statement involves condensing the insights about the user (from the Empathise stage) into a succinct statement that captures the user’s needs and challenges. A typical POV statement might look something like this: “[User] needs to [User’s need] because [Insight].”
How Might We Questions
The How Might We (HMW) technique is a method used to translate the problem defined in the POV statement into open-ended, actionable questions that invite creative thinking. The strength of HMW questions lies in their ability to turn a challenge into an opportunity for design.
By reframing the problem as a HMW question, we can start to envision a multitude of potential solutions. For instance, if our POV statement reveals that a user needs a better way to track their daily expenses, a HMW question might be: “How might we design a user-friendly expense tracker that makes budgeting an enjoyable task?”
The combination of POV statements and HMW questions in the ‘Define’ stage ensures a well-defined, human-centric problem statement. This leads to the generation of solutions that are not only innovative but also deeply rooted in meeting users’ needs, marking the pathway for successful design thinking.
“In our quest to be the ‘Bank of the Future,’ we rely heavily on the ‘Define’ stage. It helps us identify key pain points that our customers face and innovate solutions that truly enhance their banking experience.”
– Anne Boden, CEO, Starling Bank
Case Study: Implementing the Define Stage with Veritern
Let’s explore a case study in which Veritern successfully implemented the `Define` stage in a project aimed at improving the online shopping experience for a renowned e-commerce company.
The e-commerce company noted a significant drop in its customer retention rate and sought Veritern’s expertise in Design Thinking to understand and address this issue. In the `Empathise` stage, Veritern worked with the client to gather substantial data through user interviews, surveys, and observation, shedding light on the customers’ shopping experiences.
The insights pointed towards several issues such as cumbersome navigation, lengthy checkout process, and lack of personalised recommendations. Veritern then moved with the client to the `Define` stage, employing Affinity Diagrams and Empathy Maps to organise the data and uncover underlying themes.
A collaborative team from Veritern and the client then crafted several Point Of View (POV) statements such as, “Online shoppers need an intuitive and smooth navigation system because they often feel overwhelmed by the complex and cluttered layout.” Similarly, a How Might We (HMW) question was formed, “How might we streamline the checkout process to make it faster and less frustrating for the customers?”
With the problem accurately defined and framed from the user’s perspective, the project was ready to move into the `Ideation` phase. The clear, human-centric problem statements and actionable HMW questions served as a launchpad for generating a wide range of innovative solutions aimed at enhancing the customer’s online shopping experience, leading to a significant boost in the company’s customer retention rate.
This case study underscores the critical role of the `Define` stage in the Design Thinking process. By framing the problem accurately and in a user-centric manner, Veritern effectively set the stage for the generation of impactful, user-centric solutions.
Concluding Remarks
In conclusion, the ‘Define‘ stage is an indispensable part of the Design Thinking process, acting as the bridge between empathising with the user and ideating possible solutions. It’s in this stage that we distil the raw, unfiltered insights from the ‘Empathise‘ stage into actionable, human-centric problem statements that provide direction for ideation and prototype stages. The techniques such as Point Of View (POV) statements and How Might We (HMW) questions, as discussed, transform challenges into opportunities for creative thinking in a user-centric manner. More tool suggestions can be found in our previous article: Design Thinking in Practice.
We encourage individuals from all professional backgrounds to embrace these tools in their own Design Thinking journey. It’s important to remember that Design Thinking is not a linear process; it’s an iterative one. Don’t hesitate to revisit the `Define` stage if you need further clarity. By approaching these methods with an open mind, you can transform user insights into meaningful and innovative solutions that address real-world problems. Keep exploring, stay curious, and make the most of your Design Thinking journey with Veritern.
“The ‘Define’ stage is like the blueprint of a building. It’s where we set the foundation for our ideas, ensuring they’re rooted in real user challenges. It’s one of the reasons behind our successful user experiences.”
– Don Norman, Co-founder, Nielsen Norman Group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is innovative design thinking?
Innovative Design Thinking is a solution-oriented, user-focused approach that employs creative strategies to address complex problems. This approach involves understanding user needs, challenging assumptions, and exploring new, out-of-the-box solutions. It aims not only to solve problems but also to innovate, thus leading to improved user experiences and products.
What are the 5 stages of innovation and design thinking?
The 5 stages of innovation and design thinking, often described as a non-linear, iterative process, include: Empathise, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. The ‘Empathise’ stage involves understanding the users’ needs, experiences, and motivations. The ‘Define’ stage is where user needs and problems are articulated. The ‘Ideate’ stage encourages brainstorming to generate creative solutions. In the ‘Prototype’ stage, solutions are brought to life, and finally, in the ‘Test’ stage, solutions are evaluated and refined based on user feedback.
What are the 4 processes of design thinking?
While some models of Design Thinking outline five stages, others break it down into four processes: Understand, Explore, Prototype, and Evaluate. ‘Understand’ is about empathising with users and defining their needs, similar to the ‘Empathise’ and ‘Define’ stages of the five-stage model. ‘Explore’ corresponds to the ‘Ideate’ stage, where various solutions are brainstormed. ‘Prototype’ involves building tangible solutions, and ‘Evaluate’ is akin to ‘Test’, where solutions are assessed and refined.
What are the 3 key concepts of design thinking?
The 3 key concepts of design thinking are Empathy, Ideation, and Experimentation. Empathy is about truly understanding your users and their needs. Ideation involves generating a range of creative solutions. Lastly, Experimentation is about prototyping and testing solutions and iterating based on feedback.
References and Further Reading
For those interested in deepening their understanding of the Define stage or Design Thinking in general, we recommend the following resources:
- IDEO’s Design Thinking Toolkit: A comprehensive guide to Design Thinking, including practical tools, tips and techniques.
- Stanford d.school’s Bootleg Bootcamp: A deck that provides detailed insights into the various stages of Design Thinking, including the Define stage.
- “Design Thinking: Understand – Improve – Apply”: This book provides a comprehensive overview of Design Thinking with theoretical discussions and practical examples.
- Harvard Business Review’s article: “Why Design Thinking Works”: An illuminating article that explores the reasons behind the effectiveness of Design Thinking.
- Interaction Design Foundation’s course: “Design Thinking: The Beginner’s Guide”: An interactive course that covers the fundamentals of Design Thinking.
Our other articles on Design thinking
Remember, the journey of mastering Design Thinking is an ongoing process. Continual learning is key to continuously enhancing your skills. Happy reading!
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