The Power of Design Thinking

Design Thinking constitutes the methods as well as the processes that are utilized for the purpose of investigating problems that are poorly defined so as to acquire information, analyze knowledge, and position solutions in properly planned and designed fields. It favors approaching problems or issues in the business without any preconceived ideas or solutions. This kind of approach is holistic and is characterized with great intuition as well as an enhanced human dimension. In this case, the management of a business enterprise acquires the willingness to take risks by assuming exploratory strategies. It is all about creating new and original ideas that would enhance the performance of a business enterprise (Deepa 2010). Leaders and managers of thriving businesses utilize such forms of design thinking either consciously or unconsciously. In this respect, therefore, when business executives unleash the power of design thinking, they awaken design instincts which enable them to formulate methods that secure the future of the business enterprise.

However, design thinking is yet to be used to the maximum as it facilitates the achievement of strategic business initiatives which provide for an improved level of innovation. Through the utilization of design strategies, key conversations and decisions facilitates the definition of the collective future in the world of business (Deepa 2010). In this regard, it is imperative to train a new crop of design patrons which facilitates the bridging of the existing gap between business and the design. These new patrons ought, therefore, to team up with designers in a manner which would avail design methods into the mainstream business so as to accomplish various business goals. In this arrangement, designers would provide the patrons with not only output of well-integrated design, but also design methods that make business itself appear to be intentional and manageable. Thus business leaders would be able to define their goals clearly, a situation which would enable them to understand their customers better than before. This would also set various internal teams in a manner that is aligned to the delivery of results (Clark & Smith 2008).

Design thinking ought to be utilized much more widely than it has been for the last few years. Unfortunately, it has remained to be a preserve of the selected few because designers tend to stay clear from domains of accounting, legal affairs, and the human resources management. The notable successful application of the design thinking tools include the various applications being utilized by Apple, Sony, and Samsung. In all these instances, design reports are directed to the Chief Executive Officers.

The utility of design thinking would be enhanced by having the professionals redefined their leadership so as to enable the agents as well as other stakeholders in the organization understand and embrace its use. There is need to understand the correlation of design thinking and innovative thinking. As such, the business executives ought to perceive design thinking as a strategy that is driven by intelligence. Design thinking ought to be seen as an innovation that avails freedom to the stakeholders of an organization in a way that enables them to explore various strategies of solving problems.  It should, therefore, be considered as an empowerment which facilitates the identification of those options which would enable the organization to acquire a competitive advantage (Clark & Smith 2008). In this regard, appreciation and use of design thinking can be achieved by cultivating emotional intelligence, integral intelligence, as well as experiential intelligence.

IBM business is an appropriate reference point to the concept of design thinking in commerce/business. This has been indicated in the ongoing IBM Client Briefing Experience Initiative. IBM employs design thinking in problem solving in the form of offering workshops and hands-on-experience with products and services which enable the clients and other stakeholders to take a positive role in enhancing business operations (Clark & Smith 2008).