From "Design Thinking" to "Design Plus Thinking"

Design thinking offered the promise of a revolutionary new approach to innovation. With its radical focus on users and flexibility in approach, it aimed to shake up stale orthodoxies. But has it now become just another formula, a process to follow? Is it time to re-think design thinking?

At its heart, design thinking is about putting the user first. In a world where ‘designer knows best’ thinking prevailed, this was a helpful corrective. But the obsession with the user means other important stakeholders are ignored. It’s no use designing a service without thinking about the needs and capabilities of health professionals who are going to deliver it. Or whether it will meet regulatory requirements.

The free-wheeling ‘any perspective is valid’ approach of design thinking means ideas aren’t properly interrogated. Without considering data – for instance on the scale of a problem - the solutions can be naive or impractical to implement. Lastly, the emphasis on brainstorming solutions abstracts away constraints. Back in the real world though, budgets, regulations and organisational structures are concrete constraints. Wishing them away doesn’t address the underlying problems.

Perhaps the most fundamental critique of design thinking, though, is that it treats the idea as the end point. As innovators know, this is only the start. Of course, ideation is a vital part of the innovation process. Design thinking has much to bring to this. But true innovation has to consider implementation at the outset, not as an afterthought.

We take a holistic approach to innovation, bringing implementation questions into the design process. Creativity doesn’t need to be stifled; asking tough questions about implementation early give your innovations a better chance to take root. Call it “Design Plus” thinking.