What does the design thinking micro cycle look like?
Before we deal with the process in greater depth, we need to clarify the various design thinking processes, which basically all pursue the same goal but use different terms. Basically, there’s a problem statement at the beginning and a solution at the end, and the solution is reached in an iterative procedure. The focus is decidedly on the human being, so design thinking is often referred to as Human-Centered-Design. Most people who have already grappled with design thinking know the process. Nonetheless, we decided to address briefly the phases in the micro cycle and the macro cycle as well as the core idea of each phase. Lilly would probably identify with the six-step depiction used at the HPI (Hasso Plattner Institute) that presents, as most universities do, the process of design thinking that follows. Subsequently, we will discuss the macro cycle.
At some universities, the process was simplified still more. In Japan, for instance, at the chair for Global Information Technology at Kanazawa Technical College, they work with four instead of six phases: Empathy—Analysis—Prototype—Co-Creation. D.school consolidates the process steps of “Understand” and “Observe” into “Develop empathy.”
The IDEO design and innovation agency had originally defined five simple steps in the micro cycle in order to get to new ideas through iterations. In addition, they put a strong focus on implementation, because the best ideas are ultimately of no use if we haven’t established them on the market as a successful innovation:
UNDERSTAND the task, the market, the clients, the technology, the limiting conditions, restrictions, and optimization criteria.
OBSERVE and ANALYZE the behavior of real people in real situations and in relation to the specific task.
VISUALIZE the first solution drafts (3D, simulation, prototypes, graphics, drawings, etc.).
EVALUATE and OPTIMIZE the prototypes in a fast succession of continuous repetitions.
IMPLEMENT the new concept in reality (the most time-consuming phase).
Anybody working at an actual business ought to know iterative procedures in a different context, such as from software development (ISO Standard 13407 or Scrum). In this case, the user suitability of software is ensured by an iterative process or improved incrementally through sprints.
In ISO 13407, the following phases are spoken of:
Planning, process—Analysis, use context—Specifications, user requirements—Prototype (draft of design variants)—Evaluation (evaluation of solutions and requirements)
With Scrum, the individual iterations are called sprints. One sprint takes 1 to 4 weeks. So-called product backlogs serve as inputs into the sprints. They are then prioritized and processed in the sprints (sprint backlogs). The requirements are documented in the form of user stories in the product backlog. A ready-to- deliver product that has already been tested with the user during the sprint is what should exist at the end of each sprint. In addition, the process itself is reviewed and continually improved in the Retrospective.
At most companies, a micro design thinking process is broken down into three to seven phases, often based on the steps of IDEO, d.school, and the HPI. The Swiss ICT company Swisscom has designed a simplified micro cycle that allows for integrating the mindset quickly into the organization.
The phases are: Hear—Create—Deliver.
Phase
Description
Basic tools
- Understand the project
- Understand the customer problem/need
- Procure information, internal and external
- Gather experience directly from the customer
Design challenge
Customer interview
- Transform what was learned into potential solutions
- Generate multiple solutions and possibilities
- Define solution features
Core beliefs
Target customer experience chain
- Concretize ideas
- Create and test prototypes
- Verify, expedite, or reject ideas
- Gain insights and learn from them
Need, Approach, Benefit, Competition (NABC)
Prototyping plan
Self-validation
EXPERT TIP
The design thinking micro cycle
DESCRIPTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL PHASES OF THE MICRO CYCLE
UNDERSTAND:
This phase was already touched upon in Chapter 1.1. Our starting point was not a goal to be achieved but a persona that has needs or is facing the challenge of having to solve a problem. Once the problem has been recognized, the problem statement must be defined at the right level of comfort. With two types of questions, we can either expand (WHY?) or narrow down (HOW?) the creative framework. The principle can be illustrated most easily on the basis of the need to educate ourselves further:
Alongside the problem statement, it is important to understand the overall context. Answering the six WH questions (who, why, what, when, where, how) yields fundamental insights:
Who is the target group (size, type, characteristics)?
Why does the user think he needs a solution?
What does the user propose as a solution?
When and for how long is the result needed (time span of the project or life cycle of the product)?
Where is the result going to be used (environment, media, location, country)?
How is the solution implemented (skills, budget, business model, go-to market)?
More on this in Chapters 1.4 and 1.5.
OBSERVE:
We have already initially dealt with the Observe phase to some extent. We tried to be experts and better understand the needs of our readers. We took a closer look at people from three different environments who apply design thinking and observed the groups of persons at work. To do so, we took advantage of various opportunities: at the HPI in Potsdam, at the d.school in Stanford, interacting with coaches from the ME310; in workshops with the DTP Community at Startup Challenges; in internal workshops at companies as well as in co-creation workshops with the objective of inspiring customers for digitization; and so on.
It is always important to document and visualize these findings so they can be shared with others at a later time. So far, most of those involved in design thinking focus on the qualitative method of observation. Documentation is done by means of idea boards, vision boards, daily story based on photos, mind maps, mood pictures, and photos of life situations and people. All this is important information we can use to create and revise personas and to build up empathy for the user, as will be described in more detail in Chapter 1.5.
DEFINE POINT OF VIEW:
For the point of view, the important thing is to draw upon, interpret, and weight all the findings. The facilitator is urged to encourage all members of a group to talk about their experience. The goal is to establish a common knowledge base. This is done best by telling stories that have been experienced, showing pictures and describing the reactions and emotions of people. Again, the aim is to develop further or revise the personas in question. We will discuss this step in detail in Chapter 1.6.
IDEATE:
In the phase of Ideation, we can apply various methods and approaches that heighten creativity. Irrespective of this, we normally use brainstorming or the creation of sketches in this phase. The goal is to develop as many different concepts as possible and visualize them. We present a number of techniques for this in Chapter 1.7. The phase of Ideation is closely associated with the subsequent phases in which prototypes are built and tested. The next Expert Tip will give depth to this approach. In this phase, our primary goal is the step-by-step increase of creativity per iteration. Depending on the problem statement, a general brainstorming session on possible ideas can be held at the onset. Presenting individual tasks in a targeted manner for the brainstorming session has proven successful; this way, creativity and thus the entire diverging phase can be controlled. Examples include a brainstorming session on the critical functions,
benchmarking with other industries or situations, and a dark horse that deliberately omits the actual situation or combines the best and worst ideas. A funky prototype that simply ignores all limiting factors can also generate ideas. We will specifically address the matter in the depiction of the macro cycle.
PROTOTYPE:
In the previous phase, we already pointed out the next steps of “Build prototype” and “Test prototype” because they are always connected to ideation. Chapter 1.9 will show what makes up a prototype.
At any rate, we should make our ideas tangible as early as possible and test them with potential users. This way, we receive important feedback for the improvement of ideas and prototypes. The motto of the options for action is simple: Love it, change it, or leave it.
TEST:
This phase comes after each developed prototype and/or after each drafted sketch. We can do the testing with colleagues, but the interaction with potential users is what’s really intriguing. Alongside traditional testing, it is possible today to use digital solutions for testing. Prototypes or individual functionalities can be tested quickly and with a large number of users. We will present these possibilities in Chapter 1.10. We receive mostly qualitative feedback from this phase. We should learn from these ideas and develop them further until we love our idea. Otherwise: discard or change.
REFLECT:
Before starting a new cycle of the iterative process, it is worthwhile to reflect upon the chosen direction. Reflection is best triggered by questioning whether the ideas and test results comply with claims of being socially acceptable and resource-efficient. With agile methods such as Scrum, the Reflect phase wraps up the process in retrospection. The process and the last iteration are reviewed, and a discussion follows on what went well and what should be improved. The questions can be played through in a “I like—I wish” feedback cycle, or feedback can be obtained in a structured way using a feedback capture grid. Naturally, we also use the Reflection phase to consolidate the findings if this hasn’t yet occurred in the Test phase.
We update the personas and, if necessary, other documents on the basis of these findings. In general, reflecting helps to explore new possibilities that might lead to better solutions or improve the process as a whole.
OVERVIEW OF TOOLS AND METHODS IN EACH PHASE
Phase
Shortcut to examples of tools & methods
Page
Understand
Create a persona
Use the hook canvas
Use jobs-to-be-done framework
Create future user
26
30
31
34
Observe
Complete empathy map
Perform AEIOU (what? how? why?)
Check critical assumptions
Needfinding discussion, including posing open questions
Lead user
WH questions
Be mindful
Use talking stick
Include empathy in UX design
28
29
60
63
66
69
75
76
77
Define point of view
Carry out 360° view
Use 9-window tool and daisy map
Formulate sentence for point of view, e.g., “How might we . . .” questions
82
85
87
Ideate
Hold a brainstorming session
Apply creativity techniques
Gain depth of ideas
Scamper
Structure, cluster, and document ideas
Idea communication sheet
91
93
94
96
98
105
Develop prototype
Develop prototypes
Use different kinds of prototypes
Boxing and shelfing
Hold prototyping workshop
108
111
113
115
Test
Test procedure
Use feedback-capture grid
Conduct A/B testing
Experiment grid
118
123
124
128
Reflect
Use retrospective board
44
HOW MIGHT WE...
run through the design thinking macro cycle?
In the micro cycle, we go through the phases of Understand, Observe, Define point of view, Find ideas, Develop prototype, and Test prototype. They must be seen as a unit. In the divergent phase, the number of ideas we gather through various creativity techniques increases constantly. Some of these ideas we want to make tangible in the form of prototypes and test with a potential user. The respective creativity methods and tools are used depending on the situation. The journey toward the ultimate solution is not certain at the onset.
The issue in the macro cycle is to understand the problem and concretize a vision of the solution. To do this, many iterations of the micro cycle are run through. The initial steps in the macro cycle are of a divergent character (steps 1–5 in the figure). In the case of simple problems or if the team possesses comprehensive knowledge of the market and the problem, the transition to the groan zone (step 6) can be pretty fast. Transition to the groan zone can be effected from any one of the five divergent steps. The sequence of ideas to be elaborated can and must be adapted to the situation and the project. The suggested sequence has been successfully applied in many projects, though. The vision of the solution or idea is concretized in the form of a vision prototype and tested with different users. If the vision gets generally positive feedback, it is concretized in the next iteration (step 7).
The hunt for the next big market opportunity often follows these steps:
(1) Initial ideas are worked out in a brainstorming session
An initial brainstorming session about potential ideas and solutions helps the group to place all sorts of ideas and get them off their collective chest. Frequently, the levels of knowledge of the individual team members in terms of the problem statement and a possible solution spectrum are quite different. An initial brainstorming session helps in approaching the task and learning how the others in the group think.
Instruction: Give the group 20 minutes for a brainstorming session. The issue here is quantity, not quality. Every idea is written on a Post-it. When writing or sketching on the Post-it, the idea is expressed aloud; afterward, the note is stuck to a pin board.
Ask the group to answer the following key questions:
Which ideas come to mind spontaneously?
Which solution approaches are pursued by the others?
What can we do differently?
Do we all have the same understanding of the problem statement?
(2) Develop critical functionalities that are essential for the user
This step can be crucial for the solution. The facilitator has the task of motivating the groups so they identify exactly these “important things” and prepare a ranking in the context of a critical user.
Instruction: Give the group one to two hours—depending on the problem statement—to draft, build, and test 10 to 20 critical functions.
Ask the group to answer the following key questions:
Which functionalities are mandatory?
What experience is absolutely necessary for the user?
What is the relationship between the function and the experience?
(3) Find benchmarks from other industries and experiences
This step is a very good tool when teams are not able to tear themselves away from an original solution concept.
Benchmarking helps participants think outside the box and adapt ideas from these areas for the solution of the problem. The facilitator broadens the creative framework by motivating the groups to hold the brainstorming se
ssion, taking into account a certain industry/sector or a particular experience. You can proceed in two steps, for instance: (a) brainstorming of ideas relating to the problem, and (b) brainstorming of industries and/or experiences. Subsequently, the three best ideas from each step are identified. Based on the combination of these, the facilitator invites the participants to develop two or three ideas further, build them physically, and test them with the user.
The Design Thinking Playbook Page 4